


To Stay the Tides

by TheDroidsYoureLookingFor



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon-Typical Violence, Expect plenty of OCs because this place in canon is so BARE, F/F, F/M, M/M, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to Southeast Asian cultures, Self-Insert, Slow Burn, Worldbuilding, slaps roof of uzushio, this baby can fit so much creative license in it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-01-04 09:25:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 126,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18340835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDroidsYoureLookingFor/pseuds/TheDroidsYoureLookingFor
Summary: This was supposed to have been an easy shot at a second life. Almost entirely removed from the preordained story, she was prepared to live her life keeping her head down and protecting her own- but destiny is never so kind. It starts when she crosses paths with a girl who is fated to die, and it only gets worse when she encounters a missing-nin bearing the compass that mirrors her own. In a world where the slightest move threatens to cause irreversible change, Fate is a cruel mistress- and she must be Her favourite puppet.[SI/OC, soulmate AU]





	1. Spiraling

The weight of Samehada on his back feels at once like both a dream and a curse.

Looking down at the body of his mentor, Kisame finds himself void of the hatred and vicious delight that had fuelled his actions just moments ago. In its stead is a dull ache burning behind his ribs, a faint echo of the stabbing guilt that had once overtaken him the first time he'd killed his fellow shinobi. He can't bring himself to feel anything for Fuguki's death, can't even sort out any rational thought now that the feelings of betrayal and duty warring within his mind had been quieted, and he isn't sure if the silence is a blessing or an omen of the storm that is to come.

There's a sharp sting on his wrist. The sensation forces his eyes to dart away from the corpse of the man he once called 'teacher', instead fixing his gaze on his right hand. The arm guards he wears covers his skin, but he doesn't need to see what lies underneath the fabric to know what's there.

The compass on his wrist throbs, its needle spinning without end as it seeks the mirror of his soul. He can count on one hand the number of times that he's felt it ache like this over the years, and it's shocking enough to ground his mind back in the present.

He's killed his master. He's taken the legendary blade. Where can he go? What is there left for him to do?

_Why is his soulmate hurt?_

Before he can think twice, Kisame finds himself running, away from that hideout in the sewers where his former master had hidden himself from the eyes of the village. Away from where his body lies dead for the rats, or maybe to be found by some poor fool. He doesn't know- and he doesn't care. His soulmate has been hurt, and it gives him a sense of focus that he hadn't expected. Kisame doesn't allow himself a moment to think about what he's doing until he's perched upon one of the many stone buildings of Kiri, staring down at the village while Samehada stirs against his back in response to his agitation.

It's surreal, to finally hold the legendary sword and to know it is now his.  He'd trained for years under Fuguki- he'd _killed_ for him, never asking questions and never doubting his mentor- all for this moment, and yet he still feels nothing. He _has_ nothing left.

He should have known better than to just do as he'd been told, blindly believing it would make sense along the way.

Another ache on his wrist, much less intense than the pain from earlier draws his attention back to his soul mark. This time, he reaches for his arm guard and pulls it off, reaffirming- with a slight sense of relief- that his compass is still outlined in black. A part of him always worries that it would someday fade to grey after one of these spikes of pain, try as he might to ignore the fear at the back of his mind.

His soul mark had always earned him a fair share of disdain from his peers and superiors, the compass being viewed as nothing more than a distraction and an unnecessary burden. Be it the physical or emotional distraction attached to it, soulmates were considered a weakness amongst shinobi- and yet, try as he might, Kisame could never truly come to hate the compass on his wrist. Be it during the war, or on his worst missions, and especially after he'd lost his family, he'd found an odd sense of comfort in watching the ever-spinning needle. The promise of someone out there bearing the mirror image of his mark had kept him grounded in a way he couldn't quite explain, and though he'd once been upset that his soulmate wasn't someone from his village, he eventually came to be grateful that they aren't. He's killed too many comrades to be anything but.

The moonlight barely shines through the perpetual mist enshrouding the village, but Kisame has never had problems seeing in the dark. This time, his gaze lingers on his wrist, once again finding the tension in his muscles easing somewhat as his thumb brushes along the delicate swirls of the compass. Amidst the chaos and turmoil of his mind, this tiny, insignificant thing somehow quells the cacophony of his thoughts long enough to give him a brief sense of peace. Long enough to make him think about where he has left to go from here.

The world is one of cruelty- deceit and betrayal litters its paths with almost no end in sight, and it robs him of every hope he's ever held close. This mark, however- this is the one thing that no one could take from him. This is something, someone, he has no reason to doubt. The one constant that is destined for him, and him alone.

They'd told him there was no need for things like emotion in this world. Seeking things like attachments, friendships- they were mere hindrances in the life of a Kirigakure shinobi. Mere obstacles to be removed for the sake of the village when commanded to. But as Kisame rises to his feet, still staring at the ever-spinning compass on his wrist, he begins to wonder if maybe there is more to that cold objective 'truth' than what he has been made to believe- just another lie the village invented to twist and control its shinobi like puppets on strings.

After all, what else are compasses made for, but to find?

With the blood of his teacher on his hands and the moon hanging over his head, Kisame slowly comes to a decision. Only the night sky and the shrouding mists serve as witness to his resolve- and with it, the tides of fate begin to shift.

 

* * *

**rewind**

* * *

 

 To say that it is difficult to grow up knowing what the future holds would be a grand understatement. To know all of this because it had been recorded in the pages of a comic book from a past life, even more so.

With foresight comes perpetual fear, as well as a certain confidence and power that is difficult to relinquish once it has been grasped. Doing anything that would alter the course that has already been set is to give up control, and the difficulty of such actions are only made more complicated by a guilt that cannot be shaken. Seeing others afflicted by suffering and tragedy is one thing, but to have known it was coming and to do nothing about it for the sake of the greater good is a special suffering that no one else can sympathise with. To have only yourself to judge for every action and inaction, to know that even one good deed could end up damning the world- it's a war between morality and logic, one that never really ends.

It is a lonely burden, to know the fate of the world- and as luck would have it, that is exactly the life she has to lead. Because of _course_ she wasn’t allowed to even die peacefully.

Natsuki Hagiwara was born in the Land of Waves, the only child of its second leader and Ōnami, Ayano Hagiwara and her wife, Kaoru. In a neutral nation, miles away from any Hidden Villages and shielded from the worst of the wars across the ocean, it had taken her much longer than it should have to realise just what world she'd been born into. To acknowledge her rebirth that somehow kept her memories of her past life intact had already been hard enough- desolate wailing and utter frustration with her lot in life had been exhausting, and she’d made her new family’s lives as miserable as she could during her first few months of existence. It had taken more time than she’s proud to admit for her to realise it wasn’t their fault she was like this, and to allow herself the energy to care for these people as her own blood, however different they may have been. Once she did, she had found them almost too easy to love, and she’d thought that she could perhaps learn to move on from the past.

Then she turned two, and she’d heard the word 'shinobi' whispered on the streets. When her mom points out a man wearing a headband with a stylised leaf to her in the marketplace, Natsuki is hit with the force of a hundred different memories crashing into her and demanding to be heard- _blonde hair blue eyes whiskers demons_ _ninja conspiracies death tragedy_ \- resulting in her completely blacking out and fainting from the stress.

Her mom never really got over the shock of that incident, and Natsuki never saw that shinobi ever again- though she would later learn he'd been part of a team, hired to help escort some merchants into the Land of Fire from their port. It was a whole month before her family brought her out of the house again, and even then, Natsuki could no longer view her world with the same innocent eyes as she did before.

Whether she likes it or not, time waits for no one, even the people they've forced into living beyond their intended demise. And as with all things, Natsuki was forced to live with the facts presented to her. Getting over the loss of her previous life and loved ones had been hard- she will never be over that, not truly- but she took what she had known from her past life and put it to good use. She had to, if she wanted to survive- and by god, the craziest part is that she still did. Even after everything, she _wanted_ to live.

So, she did what she did best. She listened, and she learned.

From how her parents talked about the ongoing situation with the major countries and the newspapers she'd slowly learned to read, she managed to learn she'd been born sometime during the Second War. Rumours of its end were being whispered among the civilians as the state of unrest slowly retreats from the Elemental Nations- only to be cast over them again in due time- and Natsuki can't help but feel relieved that she hadn't been born to one of the Hidden Villages. Though it made her stomach twist with guilt, she was decidedly content to merely stand aside and watch as the world went by on its messy, tragic, and yet ultimately happy course.

All things considered, she believed she'd gotten the better end of this reincarnation ordeal. A loving family, a home that's uninvolved in the war, nigh impossible odds of interfering with the preordained story- everything is as it should be.

There is one thing Natsuki hadn't accounted for, however. The story she knew had never once mentioned anything about compasses of fate and intertwined souls.

"Okaa-chan." Her mother, Ayano turns towards her at her call, her face softening as she meets her gaze over the papers she's been sorting through at her desk all day. The bored toddler sits innocuously on the floor of her play mat, her hands absently fiddling with wooden horse toy that one of her parents' friends had made for her. With a tilt of her head, she asks, "Why won't my compass stop spinning?"

Ayano hums thoughtfully for a moment, pushing aside a stray strand of hair that had somehow escaped the bun she'd tied at the base of her neck. Natsuki watches as the woman rises from her seat to make her way towards her, deep brown eyes reflecting her contemplation. The lack of surprise she displays is likely attributed to her having expected the inquiry, which in turn had been encouraged by Natsuki's own progress and understanding of the world around her.

Despite her youth, Natsuki had regained just about most, if not all of the cognitive abilities of her previous life sometime after her first year in this life. The bits and pieces that had made up the incomprehensible mess of her mind had slowly acclimatised to her new form, and with that came the incessant need to regain control and autonomy of her body. It was matter of pride, really, since it was indescribably embarrassing to be so dependent on others for the most basic of needs- and so, Natsuki had all but thrown herself into relearning the basics.

If her parents or grandfather ever noticed how quickly she'd learned to grasp words and stand on her feet compared to the others of her age, they simply attributed it to her being a fast learner. They were absolute champs like that, taking her progress in stride and answering any of her queries with minimal babying- though considering the league of actual prodigies in this universe, she shouldn't have been surprised.

"That just means that your soulmate is someplace very far from here, Nacchan." As her mother seats herself down on the mat, Natsuki willingly crawls over into her lap, earning a soft laugh from Ayano as she scoops her up with ease. Grown in mind though she may be, Natsuki had always been a bit of a cuddler, and there's something about her new mother's warmth that brings out the child in her. "The further away they are, the faster it spins. When they get closer, the needle will slow- until someday, if you're lucky, it will point the way to them."

A slight frown pulls at Natsuki's lips. She wants to formulate the right sentence to express herself, but she falls short, settling instead for, "But Tatsumi-kun doesn't have one."

It’s one of the first things Natsuki had noticed about her closest playmate. Tatsumi Arikawa is the grandson of her mother’s closest political aide, a five year-old equipped with all the brutish confidence childhood entails and a distinct lack of any compass on his wrist, spinning or otherwise. Besides his stupidly pretty green eyes, the latter had been the very first thing Natsuki had noticed the first time she’d met him before he’d tried to pull her hair and she returned in kind with a jab at his eye. She still didn’t understand how they’d made up after that- one of the many mysteries of childhood innocence.

"Not everyone is born with a soul mark, Nacchan. That isn't a bad thing- it just means they might have different experiences than you will." There's a note of contemplation to Ayano's voice- it seems that she's trying to word this in a way she can understand. "Soulmates are a rare and precious thing, but we don't need them to live. Do you understand?"

"They're..." Ah, what's the word for 'luxuries' here? She'll just settle on a something a little easier. "Special?"

"Yes, they are." Her mother chuckles, the warm, rumbling sound resounding deep in her chest. Natsuki closes her eyes as she leans into the gentle vibrations- a part of her still aches for the family she's lost from before, but she cannot simply brush aside the love and warmth that radiates from this woman. "Somewhere out there, someone else has the same compass that you do. They're probably wondering about you right now, too."

Natsuki hums, silencing the cynic in her that wants to scoff. She'd done that the first time her grandfather told her what the compass on her wrist meant, and the frown on his face had made her feel horrible afterward. She still doesn't really buy into the whole idea of having a soulmate- it's a cute, fluffy concept, but in her mind that's still all it is. A concept. She entertains the notion anyway, though. "Did you ever dream about meeting Kaa-san?"

"When I was a girl, yes." Another laugh, this one tinged with a hint of embarrassment that makes even Natsuki smile. "I could never have expected someone like her, though."

Soulmates, as her Okaa-chan goes on to explain to her, aren't always meant to be your 'one true love'. They're supposed to be the complement to your soul, one who understands you so completely and utterly that there is simply no one else who can come close. Some people are born without a compass, and some have more than one, but ultimately the implication is the same. There will never be anyone else like the person that a soul compass leads you to.

"And that's how you met Kaa-san?"

"Yes." Ayano's fingers card through Natsuki's curls, the familiar sensation almost lulling her back into slumber. "I remember dropping all of my things and running straight to the eastern docks when my compass started pointing the way."

"Was she looking for you, too?" Natsuki asks, genuinely curious. She's never heard about how her parents met and she does want to know- but there's something else that's been bothering her. From the little hints she's managed to pick up- the timeline of things, her distinctly vibrant red locks, her grandfather and mom’s intricate calligraphy scrolls- Natsuki can't help but feel a vague worry settle in the pits of her stomach. If she's right about this...

"Not at first." The snort that leaves Ayano's lips is without venom, but there's something distantly sad in her eyes. Her voice is quieter when she says, "You see Nacchan, your Kaa-san had to leave her home during the war. She was... very hurt when she first arrived here with your Jii-chan all those years ago. Her compass was the last thing on her mind back then."

"Oh." Natsuki feels her hands fisting slightly into the collar of Ayano's yukata, unable to hold back her curiosity. "Where was her old home?"

This time, her mother hesitates to reply. "I'm not sure if..."

"We came from Uzushiogakure, shōko*." A low, gravelly voice chimes in from the doorway, and Natsuki flinches- more out of instinct than genuine surprise- as she turns towards the new arrival. She hadn't heard anyone enter, and from the way her mother tenses up, she hadn't, either. The two of them relax almost immediately however, upon recognising the familiar face of her grandfather, who smiles at them with a twinkle in his eye that carries just a hint of mischief.

Natsuki ignores the way her stomach sinks at the confirmation of her theory. She's kind of known for a while now, anyway.

"Jii-chan, welcome home!" Natsuki pipes up, beaming up at her grandfather as her mother stands to welcome her father-in-law home from his work. The old man plants a kiss on Natsuki's forehead, making her giggle in delight- her grandfather's stubble always tickled incessantly, but she'd be lying if she says she doesn't love the attention. Being a cute baby has its perks.

"Hiroki-san, are you sure about this?" Ayano voices her question once the greetings are out of the way, her expression one of mild concern. Natsuki glances between the two adults from where she's held against her mother's hip, a tendril of worry snaking its way into her heart. Had she done something she shouldn't have by asking that question?

"She is one of us. She will have to know someday, for her own safety." Despite his solemn voice, there's something knowing in the depths of her grandfather's violet eyes that immediately has Natsuki feeling like she's been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. The corner of his lips quirks up slightly, and he brushes a finger against her cheek. "Besides, our Natsuki is smarter than she looks. I'm sure she understands how important it is that she keeps this a secret- don't you, shōko?"

Puffing up her cheeks, Natsuki wordlessly nods as she shoves her undoubtedly guilty-looking face into the crook of her mother's neck. All the while, her grandfather merely laughs pleasantly, as if he hasn't completely ousted her for poking dangerously close to what seems to be a taboo topic. Thankfully, she could merely play it off as her being a cheeky, if curious kid who just happened to ask whatever came to mind, instead of an impatient adult trying to pick at secrets before the right time.

For now, she’ll just have to live with the embarrassment all of that entails until she’s figured out just what she ought to do with this strange shot at life.

* * *

 

There's always been something different about her mom compared to Ayano. Where her mother's warmth is akin to a small, steady flame in the fireplace, her mom's aura reminds her of the cool touch of rain against her skin. When Kaoru holds her, Natsuki remembers arcs of light shining brightly through a sea of grey clouds, the scent of ozone on the horizon, the low rumble of rolling thunder. Her mom doesn't feel as warm as Ayano or Hiroki, but she feels just as safe in her arms- if not more so. If Ayano is a fire- feelings of home, love, laughter- Kaoru is the eye of a storm, a sanctuary of safety and control in the midst of uncertainty.

Natsuki is almost four years old when she realises that this feeling isn't just her waxing poetic. When her mom storms into her room, fingers moving through a series of seals before chains erupt from her back, she feels the explosion of lightning chakra like a spark in the air and thinks- _oh_.

She doesn't get to think much else when the chains spear through the rogue shinobi that had tried to steal her from her crib, only to end up activating the immobilising seals engraved into the woodwork- Natsuki hadn't even known they were there. It's hard to come up with any thought, really, when she hears the crunch of the bladed chains cutting clean through bone, the gurgled final breaths of the man wearing a hitai-ate bearing Kiri's symbol, and she can only stare as the life leaves his eyes.

It's only when her mother gathers her into her arms and pulls her far away from the bedroom, where her mom glares at the dead shinobi with a raw hatred she's never seen on her face before, that Natsuki finally passes out again.

 

* * *

 

Hiroki’s chakra has been unusually calm compared to that of her parents’. Two weeks have passed since the trio from Kirigakure had tried to abduct her- apparently there were others with him that she hadn’t seen, but they had been taken care of quickly by her mom and grandfather. From the hushed murmurs that her parents have tried to keep her from hearing, they speculated that it had been a last ditch attempt at getting their hands on more Uzumaki blood to help sustain their troops in the fight against Konoha, and the implications of their words are enough to plant a shard of ice within her heart. She’d known that other villages had destroyed Konoha’s sister village out of fear of Her might, but she hadn’t once considered the possibility of their villagers being taken prisoner to supplement the war effort. The memory of another Uzumaki who had been trained under Orochimaru comes to mind- a woman whose chakra had healing powers on par with or even beyond that of the great Tsunade- and the idea of others like her having been drained of their life force against their will is enough to make her ill.

Her parents do their best to act like everything’s normal, carefully watching for any changes in her own behaviour to evaluate just how badly this incident has affected her. Their attempts at keeping her in the dark might have worked, were she a normal child- but she’s not, and her sudden discovery of her ability to sense chakra has made it impossible not to notice changes in others’ moods when she focuses. It reflects in the strength of their chakra, with sudden spikes that indicate agitation, worry or other distressing emotions. There has been a lot of that from her family as a whole, especially when they notice her moments of despondency, but ever since Hiroki had been tasked with watching over her after both her parents had to go back to their work, Natsuki has noticed just how little his chakra gives away with regards to his moods and thoughts.

Even now, as she toddles back towards him after playing on the swings- the playground is a good place to distract her from the quiet of her thoughts, what with the unrestrained surges of chakra from the other children and their constant chatter- she tries to focus on her grandfather’s signature and finds it the same as always. His chakra feels like that of Ayano’s, a warm hearth that burns steady and strong. His nature is fire, she’s able to deduce, and like Kaoru, he has far greater reserves than her civilian mother.

"Jii-chan." Hiroki looks at Natsuki over the pages of the newspaper he’s reading on the park bench- Natsuki wonders if he’s a sensor as well, seeing as he isn’t surprised by her approach nor has he really had to actively look for her while he does his daily reading. Hands balling up in the fabric of her shirt, she asks hesitantly, "Don't you have to go to work?"

"Not today, shōko." He raises an eyebrow at her- the same way her mom did that time when she’d caught Natsuki climbing the kitchen counter to get her own milk when she’d thought everyone else was asleep, amusement bubbling beneath the surface of those eyes as they watch her scramble to explain herself. "Already trying to chase me away? I thought you missed spending time with your grandpa."

"Of course I did!" Despite seeing the obvious bait, Natsuki finds herself retorting before she can think twice. Blushing, she twists her shirt even more between her hands and murmurs, "I just thought..."

"I know." Hiroki reaches for her hands, gently coaxing her to release her hold on the abused fabric. His palms are calloused and wrinkled with age, lined with faint scars that speak of age and battle beyond her understanding. As he carries her into his lap, newspaper pushed to the side and forgotten, he says, "You haven't been sleeping well, have you Natsuki?"

At his words, Natsuki flinches- but she doesn’t answer. She’s tried to be a good kid since she’d gotten old enough to walk, so that her guardians would never have to worry about their little girl who’s too old for her body and bears memories of a family that no longer exist. She’s always felt like she’d stolen something from these wonderful, kind people by being born the way she did, robbed them of a happy child with eyes that would gaze at the world in wonder and innocence and not- not like her. Not someone who has nightmares about demons and ancient gods with an eye in the sky and the deaths of people she’s never met. To that end she’d done her best to play the part, laughing at the silly things they do and doing her best to make them smile and muffling her tears when she dreams of a world that already slipped through her fingers.

And if she now dreams of lifeless grey eyes and blood seeping into the floorboards while hands reach into her crib to drag her out- then that's no one's business but her own. She’s tried doubly hard to keep them from worrying about her since the incident, especially when they now had to look into security measures despite the dwindling war. In hindsight, she should have guessed that her grandfather- wise beyond even her years, trained to notice even the slightest detail- would be the first to notice her restlessness.

“It’s okay to tell me, shōko. I’m just worried about you- we all are.” There’s an edge of genuine softness to his voice now, and it only makes Natsuki feel worse. She hates that she’s the reason for his concern- she doesn’t deserve it- and so she takes a deep breath and dodges the question with a query of her own.

"Why were those men here?"

As she’d expected, Hiroki falls completely silent, but his arm tightens around her slightly in a protective reflex that makes her guilt weight heavily on her mind. There are a number of reasons why that shinobi had reached for her in that crib- blackmail, murder, kidnapping- and there’s no way to tell which it is, because dead men cannot confess, and Kiri will never admit they had any part in trying to steal a child in their desperation to win this war. There’s no way for Hiroki to tell her any of this when he’s above lying to her just to put her at ease, and so the two of them merely sit there in silence, the afternoon sun hanging high in the sky and the air filled with the squeals and laughter of children running across the playground. Natsuki doesn’t look at her grandfather, fixating instead on the swing set where two kids are now arguing over who gets to go next, and wishes she could have been more like them.

When her grandfather rises to his feet and bounces her on his arm, he says something that manages to catch her off-guard.

"Let's go a little off the usual track today, what do you say?" With a wink, he adds conspiratorially, "It'll be our secret, okay?"

He's trying to distract her, she knows, but Natsuki nods anyway. She may be mature beyond her years, but that doesn’t stop her from being curious about this new world, filled with countless mysteries and new facets she has yet to uncover. Hands curling around her grandfather’s neck, Natsuki watches in silence as her grandfather takes a different path from the one he normally uses to go back home. Instead of being greeted with more buildings, his feet carry him in the opposite direction of the residential area, leading them both out towards the farmlands further into the island.

Waves is much bigger than Natsuki remembers the anime making it out to be- besides the ports along their shores and the main town district, much of the island is comprised of both cultivated land and untouched forests. The island is segregated into several different sectors for easier management and reference, though she still isn’t sure of the specifics. Besides the sprawling plains and hillsides that they’ve used to grow crops and breed livestock, she knows there are industrial sectors for managing the fisheries and forestry products, though she’s never seen those areas on the other side of the island, or the south-eastern port either. It sometimes amazes her just how big this country is, when it’s barely a speck on the map compared to the Elemental Nations- and yet, just how tightly interconnected their society is as a whole.

As Hiroki walks the paths running past the seemingly endless paddy field plains, countless people greet both him and Natsuki with a smile when they pass by. At one point a rickshaw driver on his bike even offers to give them a lift for free- a man whose son Hiroki had treated about a year ago, her grandfather explains. Even complete strangers she’s never met in her life take a moment to say hello as she rides atop her grandfather’s shoulders, to which she shyly waves back at them in return. Natsuki is positive just about everyone knows her for who she is as the Ōnami’s daughter, but she doesn’t miss the rare sneer or frown that a select few people throw her way. Waves may be a peaceful community, but even small societies aren’t immune to the disease of discrimination- and the fact that Kaoru is a fairly recent immigrant to the country during a time of conflict doesn’t exactly win the favour of every person here.

Try as she might to ignore the sting of hurt and anger that leaves... it’s not something she intends to let slide forever.

Natsuki and her grandfather continue like that for a long time, venturing deeper inland past the farmlands as the number of people grow fewer and fewer, and she begins to wonder just where her grandfather is taking her.

“Jii-chan, aren’t you tired from all the walking?”

“Not at all.” Hiroki replies easily, before he slowly comes to a stop in the middle of an empty road. Natsuki looks around, only to be struck with more confusion as she takes note of where they are. There are a few stray chickens wandering around, but besides that there’s nothing of note besides the trees of the forest beyond.

Natsuki glances at her grandfather, who cranes his head back to look at her with that familiar twinkle in his eye. As he slowly pries her off his shoulders and shifts her back into his arms, he says, “Don’t worry, we’re almost there.”

And then, just before Natsuki can ask where he’s going, he leaps high off the ground and right into the treeline. Natsuki clutches at his neck with all her might, shrieking in fear and unexpected delight whilst the world rushes by. For a moment, she’s weightless with nothing but the firm grip her grandfather has on her keeping her grounded, the wind rushing through her hair and only the sky and empty space around her.

Then her grandfather lands solidly on a tree branch that barely quivers under his weight, and the world is suddenly stable again.

“Sorry. Did I scare you, shōko?” Despite the question, there’s obvious amusement in his voice, and Natsuki levels a half-hearted glare at her grandfather. The attempt only lasts a second, however, before she cracks a small smile, betraying the exhilaration that sets her heart fluttering in her chest

“It was like flying.” Her words come out in a nearly breathless murmur, an almost anxious anticipation flooding her voice as she says, “Are we doing it again?"

“Well, good to see someone’s enjoying herself.” Hiroki laughs, his chakra circling pleasantly within his core and conveying his genuine joy. It’s the closest thing Natsuki has felt to a genuine betrayal of his emotion from his aura, sans the barest flicker of fire that had quickly been squashed down to almost nothing on the day he’d come back after her attempted kidnapping. As he steadies his grip on her again, he says, “Come on, I’ve a few more tricks to show you.”

As her grandfather hops from tree to tree, Natsuki keeps her head low and peers over his shoulder, quietly in awe of just how quickly everything flies by. The rainforests of Waves are densely packed with all sorts of hardwood trees, supplying more than enough footholds for Hiroki to navigate through the treeline. There’s a decent amount of sunlight filtering through the leaves, the shadows of the trees making them look almost like stars in daylight through the dense canopy as they travel past, and Natsuki finds herself staring in fascination at just how beautiful all of it looks from here. She’d never been an avid camper or outdoors sort of person in her previous life, but seeing nature like this- untouched and reaching for the sky with towering branches and lofty evergreens- leaves her a little star-struck by the magnificence of it all.

Her grandfather’s display of shinobi navigation skills is almost dull in comparison. Just almost.

When they finally begin to slow down and descend the branches, they’re standing in a small clearing next to a wide riverbank, surrounded by trees on all sides. Natsuki glances around, intrigued- she isn’t sure which of Waves’ countless rivers this is, but the water runs almost crystal clear and she swears she can see the shadows of fish swimming through the currents. She isn’t sure how her grandfather managed to find such a picturesque location so deep into the forest, but when he lowers her to the ground, Natsuki looks up and sees an unexpectedly serious look on his face.

"Do you remember when I explained to you what chakra is, Natsuki?" Eyes widening slightly at the question, Natsuki quickly bobs her head in affirmation. "Good. Today, I'm going to teach you how to use it."

"Really?" Her incredulous question comes out as a whisper, and Hiroki’s lips momentarily twitch in amusement before his expression grows solemn once more.

“The shinobi arts are not something to be taken lightly, shōko. What I am about to teach you could be dangerous if you attempt it without supervision. You must never experiment with your chakra on your own- and above all, you must not tell anyone that you are practising with it. Are we clear?”  
  
Natsuki swallows lightly at the gravity in her grandfather’s usually cheerful voice. Were she a regular child, this might have flown over her head- but she isn’t, and from the way her grandfather looks at her expectantly with those deep mauve eyes, she knows that _he_ knows she’s quicker on the uptake than she sometimes pretends to be. “I understand, Jii-chan.”

“Pinky promise?” His voice suddenly lightens again, and he extends his pinky finger towards her meaningfully. Natsuki holds back a giggle as she hooks her own finger over his, shaking it with a firm grasp.

"I promise." With that affirmation, Hiroki fondly ruffles her hair and draws out yet another peal of laughter from her, before he makes his way towards the trees. Trailing behind him, Natsuki watches as he picks up several fallen leaves from the ground- a memory comes to mind, one of a blonde child wearing a severe look of concentration on his face as he sticks a leaf to his forehead- and begins to put the pieces together.

She hadn’t planned on becoming a ninja, or anything of the sort- but it wouldn’t hurt to learn a few neat tricks, right?

“Now, then.” Hiroki settles on the forest floor and she follows suit, before he presses several of the leaves he’d gathered into her hands. When he lifts his hand from hers, one of the leaves is sticking effortlessly to the centre of his palm. "Here’s what I want you to do. First, concentrate on feeling your chakra gathering in your stomach…”

* * *

Natsuki peers out from behind the big rock she’s hidden behind, heart pounding in anticipation as her eyes rove over the seemingly empty beach between her and her target. Crouching down until the shallow waters of the receding tide brush against her knees, she’s careful not to make any splashes before she reaches the drier sandbank and makes a break for the next rock formation. Diving behind it, she cushions her landing with her hands and pauses, her breaths slow and shallow while she listens for any sign of movement nearby. Reaching out with her chakra, she detects only the single bright glow of her target in her mind’s eye, staunchly ignoring the significantly smaller signatures at her feet and all over the beach. She’s looking for something else, something bigger and more dangerous and _it’s right behind her._

“ _Got you_ .”  
  
Natsuki squeaks and scrambles to her feet, a last-ditch attempt at losing her chaser that is ultimately for naught, as Kaoru sweeps her into her arms and her fingers immediately dig into her sides.

  
“Alas, I have captured the great sea monster! Now I shall save my crew from her treacherous claws!” Kaoru declares with all the melodrama she can muster, Natsuki squirming in her tickling hands to no avail. Squealing with laughter, Natsuki struggles to escape her mom’s dastardly attacks as she flails her arms and legs helplessly.

“Lemme go!”

“Never!” Kaoru declares, before she leans in and blows a raspberry against her neck. Natsuki’s laughter grows even louder, squirming and thrashing as she tries to free herself from the onslaught.

“Stop, stop!”

“Alright, you two. That’s enough.” Natsuki startles at the sudden interruption, both her and Kaoru pausing to look up at Ayano, who had left her spot on the beach and was now standing in front of them. With a fond smile, she says, “You both fought valiantly- the battle was hard-won indeed. Now, let’s return to shore for a well-deserved break.”

Neither Natsuki nor her mom protest against that, and so they all make their way back to where they'd laid out their little picnic mat. This side of the island is rather quiet compared to the main beach closer to town- a nice secluded area where her parents have made it a habit to hold their semi-annual beach picnics. They'd long since finished the contents of the lunch they'd packed for this little beach day, and so Natsuki plops herself down on her corner of the mat to dry herself off. Kaoru takes the liberty of helping her comb out her hair, taking extra care to untangle out the loose curls before the salt water dries and leaves the strands stiff and matted.

Once they'd gotten that sorted out, Natsuki finds herself wrapped in a towel and curled up against Kaoru’s chest, unconsciously reaching out to sense the gentle thrum of her mom’s lightning chakra. It's a low, pleasant buzz that reflects her relaxed mood, and Ayano’s smaller, flickering chakra is similarly flowing through her coils at a slow pace. Her mother is pressed up against Kaoru's side, and between both of her parents, Natsuki feels safe and at ease.

Amidst the peaceful silence, Natsuki doesn't expect to hear the words that leave her mom's lips.

"I was a shinobi once, a long time ago."

Natsuki had almost fallen asleep, lulled to slumber by the sound of her mom’s steady heartbeat, before her quiet admittance quickly rouses her once again. Her mom’s eyes are clouded as she gazes out at the ocean, her thumb absently rubbing circles against Natsuki’s arm as she cradles her close. Her voice is soft, bearing a distinct undercurrent of melancholy as she asks, "Your grandfather told you where we came from, do you remember?"

"He said you lived in Uzushiogakure."

"Yes." A sad smile picks at the corner of her lip momentarily before it falls short. "It was a beautiful place. Bigger than Waves, but everyone there was always good to each other. We all treated our friends and neighbours as if we were one big family.” Her voice catches slightly towards the end of her sentence, but her brief lapse in control is amended as quickly as it happened. “You would have loved it, Natsuki- the ocean was so blue and clear that you could see almost everything beneath you as you swam."

"Were there crabs?" Natsuki asks immediately. Most of Waves' coastlines consisted of silt and mud instead of sand, and with that territory came plenty of the annoying crustaceans. This remote little cove they’re at is one of the rare exceptions to the norm, and it’s the only place besides the main beach that Natsuki’s willing to swim in.

"Plenty of them- but just as many fish." Both Kaoru and Ayano sound like they’re barely holding back their laughter after the face Natsuki pulls at the former’s initial answer. The amusement in her mom’s tone belies an undertone of wistfulness as she combs her fingers through Natsuki’s hair, sighing. "I wish you could have seen it. I could have shown you all the secret places on the island where my Onii-chan and I would play.”

A million questions come to mind as silence fills the air once again- her mom’s never been a woman of many words, but there’s something particularly solemn about this quietude. Natsuki hesitates to give voice to any of her inquiries, knowing that they will open a dam of hurt and painful memories that she has no right to pry at, but a part of her demands that she has the right to know. She cannot keep making guesses at things- not if her life is on the line, and not if she wants to know just how much is the same and what’s different about the world she lives in compared to what she remembers.

"Why can't I tell anyone where we came from?" Natsuki asks, pulling her towel tighter around her shoulders. "Is it the same reason why those men tried to take me?"

"Oh, Natsuki." The way Kaoru’s voice breaks as she murmurs her name strikes her like a knife to the chest. As her mom gathers her in her arms and hugs her close, Natsuki feels almost unworthy of the love and concern this woman has for her- not after she’d said these words knowing what they’d do. "I'm so, so sorry."

"It's not Kaa-san's fault,” Natsuki protests, but her voice is weak. Even Ayano is silent as she puts an arm around Kaoru, her expression grave. It takes a moment for Kaoru to pull herself together long enough to look Natsuki in the eye- and when she does, Natsuki is startled to see the determination on her face

"Natsuki, you must listen to me very closely." Kaoru’s voice is soft, nearly a whisper, but is in no way lacking urgency. Her eyes flit around the area, as if she’s afraid someone will overhear, and Natsuki suddenly realises just how big a deal all of this truly is. "Your Jii-chan and I, we left to protect ourselves when enemies came to destroy our village. We had to go into hiding, and... we lost many of our friends and family when that happened."

Kaoru’s violet eyes are hard as she meets Natsuki’s gaze, and she says, "But there are people who are still doing everything they can to hurt us if they find us. Those nuke-nin who broke into our home, they were the same."

"But... why?" And how did he know to seek her out, if their status is supposed to be a secret? Something about this doesn’t add up, and Natsuki feels ill as her mind conjures up an image of a man with bandages covering half his body and an arm implanted with stolen eyes.

"We were part of a very special clan, Natsuki. The biggest in all of Uzushio." Her mom gently grasps a lock of Natsuki's hair between her fingers, her eyes distant as she gazes upon the vibrant crimson that is familiar to her in a way Natsuki can't begin to understand. "They're afraid of what we can do- and some of them want our power for themselves. That is why your Jii-chan and I can never openly expose ourselves as shinobi, do you understand?"

"But Jii-chan works at the hospital. And you work with the police force."

"There are things we can do without using ninjutsu, you know." Kaoru’s lips curve into a small smile. "The people here are good to us. Some of them are... wary, but they won't sell us out to the enemy. Not now that we've proven our loyalty to them."

"That's not very nice." Natsuki frowns, remembering the dirty looks some people had thrown her way whenever she went out with her grandfather or mom. One lifetime of seeing discrimination rear its ugly head had made her opinions on such things rather firm. "You shouldn't have to prove anything. Everyone here came from elsewhere, too."

"Someone's been paying attention to her history books, I see." Kaoru comments lightly, before she gives a small sigh. "It's complicated, Natsuki. I'm sure you understand, but there are some things that are difficult to change. People's perceptions are just one of them."

"It's not fair."

"It seldom is." Here, Kaoru frees one hand to entwine it with Ayano’s, and the look she gives her is at once soft and filled with pride. "But that's what your Okaa-san is fighting so hard to do- to make this place better, and the people with it. It's hard work, and not everyone agrees with what she does, but someday things will be better- for everyone here today, and the future to come."

The future, huh? Images of a slimy, cruel businessman who had robbed Waves blind and killed countless innocents in his quest for wealth came to mind, and Natsuki clenches her hands tighter in the folds of her towel. The fictional story from the past had never mentioned anything about the governing system of Waves, but for the country to have been completely taken over and thrust into decline, something must have happened to the leaders of the country as well. Whether they were killed or simply forced into silence- she doesn’t know. And that uncertainty makes her uneasy, because who is to say things will even go the same way as the ‘canon’ she once knew, if the role of Ōnami didn’t exist then?

Natsuki looks at the spinning compass on her wrist, and then at her parents’ intertwined hands, where their compasses point right at each other without even the slightest sway. If it weren’t for these soul marks, would her parents have ever met at all?

What if, in that original timeline, the only reason there had been no mention of Natsuki Hagiwara was because she had never existed?

 “Kaa-san.” Natsuki determinedly chases away the noisy thoughts that come unbidden into her head, starting a new topic to break the silence. When Kaoru looks down at her, she asks, “What was it like when you met Okaa-chan?”

At first, her mom blinks, clearly having not expected the question. And then a smile breaks out across her face, violet eyes suddenly filled with such genuine warmth as she looks at her wife that even Natsuki finds herself stunned. Thumb brushing over Ayano’s hand, she says, “Well, it was really quite unexpected. She was more beautiful than I dared to dream of- I was rendered quite speechless when I first saw her.”

Ayano rolls her eyes, even as a pretty blush creeps along her cheekbones and up along her ears. Swatting Kaoru’s shoulder with her free hand, she mutters, “Oh, please. I was knee deep in paperwork at the time and hadn’t washed my hair in days.”  
  
“I meant what I said,” Kaoru retorts easily, a cheeky smile on her face that is nearly identical to that of Hiroki’s. Ayano’s blush grows even darker, but she affectionately bumps her arm against Kaoru’s shoulder nonetheless. Natsuki watches the interaction and can almost feel her heart melting in her chest, a small smile lingering on her face.

"Did you know that you know that you would love Okaa-chan when you saw her?" She asks, a tinge of genuine curiosity in her voice. She still wonders just how this soulmate thing works- if there’s just that instant spark of chemistry between complementary souls, or a deep-rooted recognition and draw to one another that just feels right when they finally meet. Kaoru seems to think over the question for a moment before she speaks up.

"I think a part of me always did. It was how that love grew that surprised me."

"Was I a surprise, too?"

 A startled laugh escapes Ayano’s throat, whereas Kaoru’s face turns a bright red while she makes a strange, spluttering sound that’s caught between amusement and embarrassment. It takes a lot for Natsuki to keep a straight face- she could always count on unexpected adult humour to make her parents crack up.

"A bit, perhaps.” Ayano chimes in, saving Kaoru the embarrassment of trying to sort out her words. Pulling Natsuki into a hug, her mother nuzzles her face against her head and says, “But we always knew we would love you- and we were right. Neither of us would trade what we have for the world. 

Natsuki doesn’t have the words to respond to that- she merely wraps her own arms around her mother and holds her close, feeling a swell of affection in her chest for this family that she never thought she could even begin to muster. Kaoru joins in the hug not long after, and Natsuki allows herself a moment to just forget about the worries of the future and the world around her. In that moment, she’s content with this life that she has, and she can almost believe that everything will be okay. 

"Did your Okaa-chan tell you how she scolded me for almost missing her, and then demanded that I take a bath before I could reply?" Kaoru suddenly says. 

"Really? Did you stink?"

"Like a heap of old fish," Ayano affirms.

"Eww." Natsuki wrinkles her nose, and both her parents laugh quietly as they huddle together in their little corner of the world and watch the sun set.

Though she doesn’t know exactly how and when, Natsuki remembers dying fairly young. While old enough to have been an adult, her life experiences had still been lacking in most areas. She doesn't know what it was like to love someone the way Kaoru and Ayano love each other- in their tender gazes, the brushing of hands, the soft kisses they shared when they thought she wasn't looking. She doesn't understand the mixture of melancholy and joy in her grandfather's eyes whenever he sees his daughter and her wife together, his fingers brushing against the grey outline of his own compass, frozen in time and a needle forever pointing northwards. There's a connection between the souls linked by the compasses of fate, but she can't even begin to imagine knowing what that feels like.

 Natsuki  glances again at the soul compass on her wrist, the needle spinning on its eternally unbalanced axis, and she wonders if she ever will.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * shōko = 小虎, meaning ‘little tiger’
> 
> This is extremely self-indulgent. That's really the only excuse I have and I'd apologise but here I am posting this anyway. “Why a soulmate au” you may ask, and the only answer is because I am hungry and I make my own content. The premise of the soulmate compass AU is inspired greatly by the work ‘Cynically Yours’ by MM_Mendell, which is where I first discovered this particular concept and decided to look more into it. Do check them out, I absolutely adore their take on the concept!
> 
> Story-wise, this fic dabbles in some worldbuilding and political mumbo jumbo, and I’ll dedicate a couple of chapters to laying the premise before we leap into the driving plot of the story. Besides that, I'm really all here for some good ol fashioned shameless fluff because I miss kisame and the sharkman deserves smooches


	2. Descent

Natsuki tries very hard not to gape- only to fail spectacularly as she stares in wonder at the magnificent creature before her.  Large, amber eyes merely stare back unblinkingly at her, bearing a certain intelligence and wisdom that she’s never seen before in the face of any creature from either of her lives.

The tiger sitting primly before her is gargantuan compared to the diminutive stature of her five-year-old self, making her feel both small and completely clumsy. Its fur is comprised of deep oranges and stripes of rich ebon, and though Natsuki is struck with the urge to run her fingers through the thick, soft coat, she figures she prefers having her hands attached to her body. Even as the tiger remains still, Natsuki is fully aware of the power it possesses, heavy muscle and lightning fast reflexes that could tear her to pieces in an instant. The predator is at once beautiful and terrifying, and Natsuki wonders if she should bow before such majesty.

“You’re going to catch flies, shōko.” Hiroki’s voice shakes her out of her trance, and he sounds like he's trying very hard not to laugh while gesturing to his own stubbled chin. “You're supposed to be a tiger, not a frog.”

 “So, this is Kaoru-chan’s cub.” Right as Natsuki closes her mouth, she nearly lets it fall open again when the tiger finally speaks. Her voice is distinctly feminine, and it bears a certain weight and dignity that makes Natsuki wonder just how old this feline is. “What is your name, child?”

 “Natsuki Hagiwara, at your service.” Natsuki replies promptly, somehow managing to keep her voice from shaking. Bowing low, she adds, “It is an honour to meet you.”

 A deep rumbling sounds in the tigress’ chest, and somehow it comes across as sounding _pleased_. With a nod, she purrs back, “I am Masami. I have answered the call of the summoners since the first of the Uzumaki signed our contract.” Turning towards Hiroki, her voice gains a note of amusement as she says, “The girl has manners. She certainly didn't get that from you, Hiroki-chan.”

“Masami-sama, you make it sound like I'm a terrible influence.” Hiroki puts on a wounded tone that contrasts heavily with the smile on his face. Masami merely shakes her head, and Natsuki can't help but wonder at how casually her grandfather is able to address the majestic wildcat. Even sitting down, her head almost reaches his shoulders- her grandfather isn't exactly a short man- and her paws are easily bigger than his head. 

“I've known you since you were a cub yourself.  You may be turning grey now, but you don't deceive my eyes.” Suddenly, the tigress rises to her feet, and Natsuki has to stop herself from taking a step back. She’s pretty sure by now that the tigers from her past life had never been this massive- not when Masami is practically double the expected size. Her golden eyes are focused upon Natsuki again, and the girl inhales sharply as she senses the tigress’ chakra envelop her. “This one, however…”

Natsuki finds it difficult to breathe, overcome by a slight dizziness as she stares into the aureate depths of Masami’s eyes. She can _feel_ the tiger extending her own chakra to prod at her centre, a blend of such powerful energy that Natsuki can’t even focus on it without seeing stars. The chakra nature of humans is easy enough to distinguish once she’s able to pinpoint the feel of it, but this is something else entirely. It's countless sensations and memories hurtling against her senses, none of which she can pick apart without having it ripped away and replaced by another- and yet, it doesn't feel wrong.

It feels like _life_.

“You can sense it.” Masami’s voice snaps her out of her brief stupour, and Natsuki swears she can detects something that sounds like approval in her tone. “Many an Uzumaki were sensitive to the force of life, as well. It seems you have inherited that gift.”

“How did you know?” 

“I can feel your chakra reaching out to mine.” Slowly circling her, Masami adds, “Your sensory skills are impressive for one so young- but they can yet be improved on. Will you be able to aid her with that, Hiroki-chan?”

“I should be able to manage.” Hiroki shrugs, scratching at his greying beard in an almost dismissive motion. Natsuki isn’t fooled for one second, however- she can see her grandfather scrutinising her with a new light in his eyes, and she wonders if she’s done something she shouldn’t have by keeping her sensing abilities under wraps. Averting her eyes, Natsuki focuses instead on the great tigress as she comes to a halt in front of her, sitting back on her haunches and calling all attention back to her with a mere swish of her tail.

“A child of the gales,” She concludes- an evaluation of her chakra nature, Natsuki wonders? It’s never occurred to her that she’s never been able to discern the nature of her own chakra until then. However, Masami suddenly tilts her head to the side, an appraising look in her eye- and what she says next makes Natsuki freeze. “And an aged spirit. An abundance of Yin energy resides in your chakra, Natsuki-chan. Be careful to not let it consume you.” 

“Aged?” Hiroki speaks up before Natsuki can formulate a response beyond her shock. “Is that normal?”

“I've seen cases like this in my lifetime. The Uzumaki have always been known to possess strong souls. Some choose to cling to the world and reform anew- a rare occurrence, but not unheard of.” 

_Oh, if only she knew._

“I see.” Natsuki somehow manages to keep her voice steady, though it doesn’t stop her from twisting the hem of her shirt between her hands. “Is that why it’s been so hard for me to control my chakra?”

“Perhaps so. It should not be something you wouldn’t be able to overcome through practise.” The reassurance is nice, but Natsuki bites back a sigh at the prospect of more training. She’s already struggling with the tree exercise, having fallen off or been thrown back countless times already- so much for hoping she’d be the next Sakura and be able to shatter rocks with her pinky by the time she turns ten.

A hand lands on her head, ruffling her hair and earning a half-hearted glare from her in response. Hiroki merely laughs at her disgruntlement, before he turns back to address Masami once again. “I'm glad you think so, Masami-sama. Looks like our shōko won't be signing any contracts just yet.”

“You already knew I wasn’t going to make it,” Natsuki grumbles, only succeeding in making Hiroki’s grin widen even more. Leave it to her grandfather to dangle a shiny new treat in front of her eyes as a way to get her to work even harder. Honestly, it’s annoying that he treats her like some kind of overeager puppy. It’s even more annoying that he’s kind of right.

“I suggest perfecting your training, shōko. Hiroki-chan is not known for leniency, even despite his own lack of discipline.” Masami sounds amused as she adds in her two cents, and this time Natsuki audibly groans. Of _course_ her grandfather would be the ‘as I say and not as I do’ type.

“Alright, I’ll work harder,” Natsuki relents with a huff. She doesn't like having to wait, but well, the fruits of hard work and all that. She just hopes she won’t have to pull a Naruto and leap into a canyon to get her summoning to work- there aren’t any ravines in Waves deep enough for that.

With another crackle of laughter- softer this time than the last- Hiroki smooths out her hair before finally lifting his hand from her head. Natsuki instinctively reaches up to pat it down herself, all the while peering up at her grandfather, who lowers his head towards Masami in a gesture of respect. “That’s our cue to go back to training, then. Masami-sama, we thank you for your time.”

The tiger tilts her head slightly in response to Hiroki’s greeting, a shallow purr resounding from within her chest. Her golden eyes flit back to Natsuki’s, and the girl quickly ducks into a bow again out of pure reflex. The soft rumbling quickly evolves into something tinged with mirth, and Natsuki can’t help but blush. She’s just trying to be nice! What’s so funny about manners?

“I will see you again, Natsuki-chan.” Masami murmurs, her voice low and still bearing that edge of amusement. “Perhaps by then, you shall be ready to surprise me once more. I should very well hope so.”

Natsuki doesn’t get a chance to think of a reply to that before the tigress disappears in a cloud of chakra smoke, leaving her to wonder if her words shall ring true.

* * *

  
Souji Arikawa is the Ōnami’s right hand man, as well as one of the founding members of the council of Waves, having served as both friend and advisor to Ayano's own father. The man's son had passed from the same plague that had taken the first Ōnami as well- a terrible disease that had only been alleviated upon the creation of a cure and vaccine with aid from Konoha's own medical corps. That was ultimately the incident that placed Ayano in the position of leader as she demonstrated her diplomatic prowess, strengthening ties with the Land of Fire and averting the crisis that could have decimated their lands. 

The era before Natsuki's birth had been one of great mourning for all of Waves- everyone had lost someone dear to them, and Souji especially had lost his best friend, his wife, and his son. Little Tatsumi had been the one thing that had survived the tragedy, giving Souji the will to continue living even in the face of his loss. It was only several years after Ayano's rule as Ōnami that he finally returned to the realm of politics to aid her the way he had for her father, and Ayano had been all too grateful for the aid during her rise to leadership.

Perhaps it is this long, heartfelt connection that the two of them have that encouraged both parties to introduce the children of their respective families to each other. A sense of hope that this long-time friendship would live on in the future, nurturing a cooperation that would someday benefit their homeland and everything that awaits. For a while, Natsuki is content with having Tatsumi as her only real friend- the older boy is smarter than the other kids her age, and thus is more bearable than the rest of the playmates her parents try to set her up with, most of whom are her age or younger. Getting along with Tatsumi is easy, even if their conversations aren’t yet particularly deep or meaningful.

Natsuki only begins to realise Tatsumi’s presence has spoiled her when she’s enrolled in kindergarten, and immediately resents the curse of rebirth as she’s surrounded by the squalor and cries of children. It’s not that she particularly dislikes children, but as a child herself now, unable to escape and dodge their nosiness, they’re… unbearable.

It doesn’t help that a bunch of them have taken to ooh-ing and aah-ing over her compass, and have decided to beat her over the head with questions and constant pestering at every available opportunity.

“It spins so fast!”

“What do you think your soulmate looks like?”

“Woah, mine’s never spun like that before.”

“That’s so freaky. Why is your compass all pointy on this side?”

“What if you never meet your soulmate, ever?”

Natsuki can only grin and bear it, even as her patience wears thin with each question thrown her way. Just because she doesn’t understand the novelty of having a soulmate doesn’t mean she has any right to shut down the innocent curiosity of other kids. In fact, it is through her entertainment of these ceaseless questions that she meets a new friend on her second week of kindergarten.

“Why do they keep on coming back here?” The mutter comes from somewhere to her left after she’d finished answering another interrogation from a group of girls who had been going on and on about the kind of person they hoped their soulmates would be. Natsuki had only been half listening to the conversation before they’d finally left, feeling a breath of relief leave her lungs as they did. Turning around, she sees a girl with her hair done in pigtails, huddled up in the corner of the break room with her nose stuck in a book. “They’re always so noisy.”

“Tell me about it.” When Natsuki readily agrees with the sentiment, the girl jumps and looks up at her, eyes wide with shock. Leaning back on her hands, Natsuki sighs and says, “I can’t wait for them to find someone else to bug. It’s not even that big a deal, you know?”

The girl still seems taken aback at being overheard, but she shoots Natsuki a strange look. “If you think so, why do you talk to them?”

“They’ll grow tired eventually. I just don’t want to upset the people I’ll be schooling with.” Shuffling a little closer towards the girl, Natsuki pulls her knees up to her chest, sporting her brightest grin as she says, “I’m Natsuki Hagiwara, by the way.”

“I know that. You’re the Ōnami’s daughter.” Oh, right- she’s kind of a celebrity around here, strange as that sounds. The pigtailed girl fidgets with the page of her book slightly, looking up at her with wide hazel eyes that express the barest hint of caution as she says, “My name is Hatsume Itou.”

“Nice to meet you, Itou-chan.” Natsuki makes a few quick assessments- she recognises Hatsume as a student in her class, and from their height difference, she gathers that she’s older by at least a year. She’s also fairly certain that Hatsume’s one of the better readers in their class, and a quick glance at the book she’s clutching in her hands confirms that she’s reading material that’s above their supplied texts. Half of the class is still learning basic nouns and the alphabet, and while this story book isn’t particularly complex, it’s still of a higher level than the class standard.

Without meaning to, she also notes that Hatsume has a compass on her left wrist, and its arrow is moving steadily as it tracks the movements of her soulmate nearby.

“What sort of book are you reading?” Natsuki asks quickly, before the silence can drag on long enough to become awkward. She notices that the cover depicts an illustration of two men standing beneath a tree reaching towards the sky, with the sun and moon hanging over their heads. A circle of _tomoe_ patterns adorn the necklines of both men, and it doesn’t take a genius to be able to put the pieces together.

“It’s a story book my aunt gave me.” Natsuki finally tears her eyes away from the book cover when Hatsume speaks again, forcing herself to focus on what the girl is saying instead of the thoughts- _jealousy love manipulation reincarnation_ \- that flash through her head. “Do you… also like reading?”

Natsuki somehow manages to piece a smile together, using her hands to grip her knees and stop them from shaking as she says, “Yeah, I love reading! That looks way more interesting than what they’re making us read in class- what’s it about?”

“Well, it’s one of the legends from the Continent. Have you heard the story of Indra and Ashura?”  
  
“I don’t think so. Who are they?”

For the first time since the start of the conversation, Hatsume’s eyes light up as she recounts the- horribly inaccurate, Natsuki absently notes- retelling of the tale of the Sage’s two sons. As she quietly nods along to the girl’s summary of the story, Natsuki barely notices the time flying past as she engages in a conversation that, for once, _isn’t_ about soulmates or compasses- and she begins to think that maybe the hellhole that is kindergarten will be a little more bearable.

* * *

  
In the corner of the Ōnami’s office, Natsuki sits quietly on the couch with her notebook, pencil in hand as she carefully rewrites each of the new characters her grandfather had taught her that week. He’d begun teaching her fuuinjutsu basics not too long after she’d made some progress on tree walking, drilling the foundation of the complex art into her and having her practise drawing some of the basic hexagrams and commands.

She was too inexperienced with calligraphy to even think about using chakra ink, but she couldn’t exactly drag out the ink and brushes to practise in her mother’s office- especially when she’s still learning all of this in secret- and so she settles on her recreating the patterns in graphite instead. Natsuki’s actually taken to the fuuinjutsu lessons with great interest, finding the struggle of learning all these theories and turning them into something viable absolutely fascinating. Though these exercises seem boring, Natsuki makes the effort to burn the motions into her mind, intent on learning as much about the sealing arts as she can. The idea that she could use nothing but her blood, ink and a brush to make literal magic happen- from creating storage spaces in pockets of air to interdimensional portals that rip through time and space itself- draws her interest in a way nothing else in this world has before. Sure, walking on water and breathing fire is cool, but this? This is a _challenge_.

There’s a knock on the door, and Natsuki looks up in time to see her mother’s secretary- Kiyoko, was it? - peek her head in. The young woman shoots her a small smile as she catches a glimpse of her, before she bows towards Ayano to state her business.

“Daigo-san is here to see you, Ayano-sama. He says he has received news on the latest delay in shipments from the Land of Rivers.” Natsuki recognises that name- that’s the man from the civilian council, one of the representatives of Sector A who provides monthly updates on the income from the ships docking in their harbour. Or is he the one who keeps track of the tax revenues from foreign merchants in the market? 

“Alright, send him in,” Ayano replies, nodding towards Kiyoko in thanks as the latter retreats out the door. Pushing aside the file she’d been viewing- from what Natsuki can glimpse from here, she deduces that it’s the latest report from the Budget Office. Her mother catches her stretching her neck to take a peek at the report, and only smiles as she casually places it far out of her sight and shakes her head. For her eyes only, it would seem- Natsuki sags in her chair in defeat, while Ayano smothers her laughter and puts on a more professional expression as her guest enters the office. A man with short, jet black hair steps into the room, clad in a simple blue shirt that only barely hides the obvious tan lines along his shoulders.

“Good afternoon, Hagiwara-sama.” Deep brown eyes dart towards her, and a warm smile crosses Daigo’s face as he inclines his head in greeting. “Natsuki-chan.”  
  
“Good afternoon, Daigo-san,” Natsuki replies evenly, earning a startled chuckle from Daigo in turn. He’s never had a reason to visit her mother’s office while she’s been in before, but it’s nice to know that he’s nicer than some of the others who have taken to just ignoring her presence. After all, no one expects a five-year-old to take an interest in politics- but Natsuki has never been one to conform to expectations.

As Daigo returns back to attention to relay the current situation to Ayano, Natsuki fixes her eyes on the pages of her book and absently continues her rows of hexagrams, only half-paying attention as she listens in on the discussion taking place. It’s become a bit of a habit to eavesdrop on the conversations in this room, especially after the shinobi incident that made her parents paranoid to the point of keeping her within their sight at almost all times. It’s probably made her more aware of the going-ons and politics of Waves than most regular citizens, but she figures that’s the point of her being here.

Natsuki isn't blind to the deeper reasoning as to why her mother keeps her close by even as she discusses politics with the council members, and why Tatsumi is the playmate she's spent the most time with. It’s no secret at this point that Natsuki is bright for her age, and her mother uses that knowledge to prepare her- after all, she _is_ next in line for the position of Ōnami.

Honestly, the notion gives her a whole bunch of mixed feelings. Autocracy is a whole can of worms she wants nothing to do with, especially considering the borderline dictatorial system all of the nations employ, but it puts her in a position where she can implement changes where she deems necessary. At the very least, Natsuki is grateful that Waves isn’t subject to the monarchical dealings of the major countries- though she’s all too aware of how closely the position of Ōnami treads along that line.  Natsuki’s familiarity with the principles of democracy makes her hands itch with the desire for change, but she knows such actions are a long time coming. The amount of planning and work it will take to inspire change is daunting, and she frankly has no idea just what it takes to rule a nation. She’s led projects and cases in the past, but this is so much bigger than her and anything she’s ever faced that even thinking about it makes it difficult to breathe.

A part of her urges her to hide, to merely push aside her ideals from the past and continue as things are- but then she remembers the events of the future, and suddenly her fear becomes secondary.

Natsuki thinks of the Waves she’d known in the past- a community of people with wills broken by the hand of a tyrant, who had not known the power they themselves held until one boy took a stand and inspired change. She doesn’t know the consequences her leadership will bring if she takes the mantle, but she’d be damned before she’s willing to watch her country and family be put at risk for one man’s greed. Team 7 would just have to go find another ruined country to save, and it's not like there's a shortage of missing-nin for them to take on. Surely, she could afford to change just this one thing- the encounter with Zabuza and Haku hadn't had all that big an impact on the plot, sans some more team bonding and revealing Kakashi’s capabilities, right?

 ...Gods, she _hopes_ so. If there's a higher being out there, she hopes they'll give her just enough enough room to move this one piece on the board around. Just one, and she swears she'll never interfere with anything else again.

“Then what should we do now, Ayano-sama?”  Natsuki is brought back to the present when Daigo asks the big question. Ayano steeples her hands on her desk for a moment, digesting all the information that had been dumped on her, before she looks up at him with steel in her umber eyes. Natsuki slowly opens up to an empty page in her book, readying her pencil to take note of any new information she’s about to hear.

When the Ōnami speaks, all of Waves falls silent to listen- and sooner or later, whether she likes it or not, that voice will become hers. It’s her own job to make sure she’s ready for what that will entail. 

“We’ll have to redistribute the local harvest to compensate for the delay. Get in contact with the agriculture department and Matsumoto from Sector C- we need to inform the local producers of the change. We’ll arrange discussions with the civilian council by tomorrow. Report any problems you encounter to me by evening today, and I will see if they should be brought up at the meeting or handled separately. Is there anything else?”  
  
"No, that should be all, Ōnami-sama."  
  
"Very well, then. I shall hear from you again soon, Daigo-san. For now, you may be dismissed."

* * *

  
Natsuki doesn't think much of soulmates after her mother explains it all to her, content with just knowing what it means rather than agonising over who bore the mirror image of her mark. Though she does admire the delicate, wavelike swirls intermingled with the sharp, pointed edges adorning the outline of her compass, she doesn't really view it as much more than a very elaborate tattoo. She'd always wanted one in her past life, and so she's rather happy with this hand that fate had dealt her.

That perception changes somewhat when one day, her wrist twinges with such a sudden jab of pain that she hisses and loses her grip on the plate she's washing in the sink. The ceramic doesn’t shatter- thank god, these are new and her mother would be _so_ disappointed- but makes a huge clatter as it falls into the sink, and Natsuki can only clutch at her wrist in shock. Quickly wiping away the suds on her hands, her eyes rove over her right hand to try and identify just what happened, but she’s only met with confusion as she realises… she’s completely fine. 

"Natsuki? What happened?" Natsuki jumps as her mom’s voice suddenly chimes in next to her. Before she can even turn around, Kaoru’s hands are on her shoulders as she looks her over, concern written in the furrow of her brow and the narrowing of her eyes. Natsuki swallows as she notices the sparking sensation of her chakra that she hadn’t before, anxiety and battle readiness radiating off of her at even this slight hint of danger. Upon focusing, she can feel the flash of her grandfather’s chakra seeping into the floors and walls of the house as he activates the anti-intrusion seals he’d engraved from the living room, and she winces. That’s… a bit of an overreaction, but she can appreciate the precaution. 

"I’m okay- it was just my hand." Natsuki reassures her with only the slightest tremble to her voice- more out of bewilderment than anything else. "It was hurting earlier. I don't know what happened."

At that, Kaoru’s stony expression drops off her face, and in its place is utter relief. Her shoulders visibly sag when she releases Natsuki’s shoulders, and a soft sigh leaves her lips as she stands up to handle the rest of the dishes. Glancing at Natsuki, she says, "Wash off the soap for now, and go sit on the couch, okay? Your Okaa-chan will explain everything."

Hesitantly, Natsuki nods and does as she’s told. When she sits down to listen as her family explains what’s going on, however, she finds her concern slowly melting away, and in its place is utter disbelief. It would seem that her mother had forgotten to tell about the little... extra kick that came with having a soul mark.

Apparently, as if slapping a bunch of compasses that don’t even _work_ up to a certain distance hadn’t been enough, whatever higher being that had decided upon these laws of nature also decided that the physical pains one person experiences should be translated into similar sensations on their soulmate’s mark as well. Ayano tells her that the pain is usually dialled down compared to the actual injury the soulmate receives, but it serves as a helpful indicator of how one's soulmate is doing on the other end of the line.

"So, that means my soulmate got hurt," Natsuki says slowly, watching the turns of her compass with a new light- one that isn’t particularly pleasant. "And whenever they get hurt, I'll feel it?"

"That’s right.” Ayano nods, a sympathetic smile on her face. Natsuki takes a moment to digest that, considering the implications of this information, before she promptly decides that having a soulmate really _sucks_.

(Yet even as the sentiment remains, Natsuki would still find herself staring at her compass during the worst of her sleepless nights, and praying that the one on the other end would survive the wars to come.)

* * *

  
Her mom is arguing with her grandfather in the kitchen, and Natsuki can literally feel the tension in the air as their chakra signatures respond to their agitation. A part of her mind urges her to withdraw her senses and leave it be, but the less rational, impulsive side of her clamps down on that logic, and keeps her focused on the fluctuating energy coming from the two adults in the other room.

"She's not even six years old, Tou-san! What were you thinking?"

"Our enemies won’t wait for her to grow old before they attack, Kaoru. The last attempt has proven that.”

“How long have you been hiding this from me? What have you been teaching her?”

“I’ve only taught her how to harness her chakra for the basics. Already, she’s showing signs of being an exemplary ninja-“

“She is _five_. You are not going to teach my daughter how to kill people!”

“She needs to learn to defend herself, and I don’t regret teaching her how to do that.”

Natsuki huddles closer the wall, getting as close as she can to the gap in her door to listen in to the argument between the two adults. She channels a thin stream of chakra to her ears to enhance her hearing as well- Hiroki would be mad if he knew she’d used such a risky technique without his supervision, but that’s the least of her concerns right now.

Her teeth worry away at her bottom lip as Natsuki tries to push aside the immense guilt surfacing in her head. She’d started on the replacement jutsu that week, and she’d been making some pretty good progress. However, the gig had been up when she came home covered in dirt and playing with her chakra by sticking a bunch of stray leaves to her head- only to find that her mom had been back early.  She’d promptly dropped all the leaves to the floor, at the same time that her mother’s look of shock immediately turned icy as she fixed a glare on Hiroki.

Kaoru had calmly asked her to go and get herself cleaned up while she spoke to Hiroki, and Natsuki had quickly obliged. She doesn’t think she’s ever heard her mom sound so _angry_ before.

“I want her to have a normal life, Tou-san.” Kaoru’s agitation is palpable, and Natsuki can almost envision her running her hands through her short, wavy hair in frustration. “Teaching her our clan’s secrets will only make her a target.”

“She will be targeted no matter what we do or don’t do.” Hiroki sounds calm, but the twitch of his usually sedate chakra gives away his own exasperation. "This is for her protection as much as it is for our own peace of mind. This way, she will at least have a way to defend herself."

“So you would teach her to fear for her life at every turn?”

“I would teach her to survive long enough to see those turns.”

For a moment, there’s silence. And then, Natsuki hears the sound of the chair scraping the tiled floors of the kitchen, and the sound of someone slumping heavily into the seat.

“I just don’t understand.” Kaoru’s words are quiet, and Natsuki can’t help but flinch at the watery, defeated tone in her voice. “The war’s over. They’ve already taken everything from us. What reason do they have to hunt us down now?”

“This peace won’t last, Kaoru. I wish it wasn’t so, but this is the way things are.“ Hiroki’s voice is grave, and the spark of flame from his chakra is once again reduced to simmering cinders. “We can’t be sure of what the future holds. If danger breaches our shores, the least we can do is prepare her for it.”

Silence once again. Natsuki hadn’t noticed when she’d started clenching her fists in worry, but she forces herself to relax when her short nails dig into her flesh enough to actually hurt. She rubs her face against her palms, trying to ignore the panic festering in her chest at the words being spoken. She’d been so happy to have been born in a land free from the wars of the shinobi nations, but now it seems that conflict will come for her no matter what. All because of the blood running through her veins in this body that she never asked for.

She remembers faces- _a man with the eyes of legend watching as his best friend dies in his arms, a woman weeping as she holds her new-born son close to her chest, a girl betrayed and left for dead by a trusted comrade_ \- and wonders if perhaps this bloodline is cursed.

“You will let me help and watch over her training.” When Kaoru finally speaks again, Natsuki only barely hears her words. “But if she chooses to stop, you will cease all lessons immediately. We will not force her to live the way we did.”

“Of course, Kaoru. I'm sorry.”

After that, Natsuki pulls her chakra back from her ears and slumps against the wall, pulling her legs up to her chest as she rests her chin on her knees. She hadn’t allowed herself to think of the implications of Hiroki’s training, even as he taught her various kata and other offensive capabilities during their days off. She’d focused on the intellectual allure of what he taught her, feeding off her own curiosity and desire to learn how to use all the tools this new universe had presented to her, but she had ignored just why this sort of training existed in the first place.

This is a world where children die fighting in wars that adults begin. These methods exist because war and strife are so common and even expected to occur that this is the only way anyone could think of to keep everyone alive, and she is no exception. The world she’d known before this hadn’t been perfect, but compared to this place- where masks of peace are repeatedly slapped over the shadows churning underneath, so fragile and easily broken by the whims of greedy men with too much power- it could have been paradise.

For the first time in years, Natsuki finds herself missing a home that no longer exists.

When Kaoru opens the bathroom door and sees her on the floor, curled in on herself and sobbing into her hands, Natsuki doesn’t protest when she pulls her close. It doesn’t make anything right, her mom’s love alone cannot stop this world from spiralling into chaos- but it makes it better, even if by just the tiniest fraction.

For now, better will just have to do.

* * *

  
It’s a bright, sunny afternoon that’s somehow not too hot, a rare reprieve from the storms and cloudy skies Waves has seen for the past month. The weather only contributes to Natsuki’s good mood, and she has to keep herself from skipping as she walks among the stalls set up in the market square, one hand in her grandfather’s while grasping the hem Tatsumi’s shirt loosely in the other. The boy had reached the ripe age of eight to Natsuki’s five, and was thus far too dignified to be seen holding her hand in public, even if they’d known each other since they were in diapers. 

The country itself was recovering from a rather nasty monsoon season, and several of their coastline residences had seen damage from the raging storms and seas. Apparently, things were so bad that they’d had to order a lot more materials than they’d expected, and the land administrative department had been drowning in paperwork for the past few weeks trying to get everything sorted. It didn’t help that tensions across the Continent were still high, with mainland supplies being focused on other places that were being rebuilt after the war. However, Waves commonly sees a momentary peak in business right after their stormy seasons, and that makes for a more lively market scene than usual- one that provides a rather nice change of pace for its citizens after weeks of toiling through the whims of nature.

“Natsuki-chan, over here!” The sound of Hatsume’s voice ringing over the crowd gathering in the marketplace draws her attention, and Natsuki is left squinting for a minute before she's able to make out the form of her classmate waving at her from beside a small fruit stall.

“Hey!” She waves back just as eagerly, finally dropping Tatsumi’s hand to do so and ignoring the exaggerated sigh of relief she hears from him. Next to Hatsume is her soulmate, Yoshiko Furihata, her short black hair arranged in its usual mess of layered spikes and her hands loosely tucked in the pockets of her slacks. Akira is with them as well- Yoshiko’s older brother has longer hair than she does and keeps it done up in a small ponytail, and his smile doesn't quite bear that same sharpness that hers does, giving him a softer appearance.

“You’re late, _akagami_ ,” Is the first thing Yoshiko says when they're finally within hearing distance, and Natsuki rolls her eyes at the nickname. The older girl had taken to the dub with fervour, and while Natsuki didn't mind, the way Tatsumi bristles at her side says that he still takes it as a slight on her honour. At this point, she's pretty sure Yoshiko calls her that on purpose just to see Tatsumi react- he’s far too easy to work up when it concerns her, the overbearingly protective goof.

“This makes _one_ time, Yoshiko-chan. One time.”

“It wasn’t even our fault, either.” Tatsumi grumbles, earning a sheepish, not-at-all remorseful grin from Hiroki as he waves at them cheerfully. He’s standing off to the side to give them space to interact, but Natsuki doesn’t miss the way his eyes rove over the crowds in the marketplace, constantly searching for any signs of threat. “Hiroki-ojiisan didn't know where he'd put his wallet.”

“Well, at least we're all here now,” Akira interjects, his calm words presenting an almost welcome interruption from the subtle tensions that had started to form. Shooting them a grin, he says, “The day is still early, so let's take our time. I heard there are some merchants all the way from Water this week.”

“Oh, great! They always have the _best_ sweets.” Hatsume enthuses, and Natsuki can't hold back a smirk when she sees Tatsumi’s face light up at the prospect of getting his hands on some sugary goods. He then tries- and fails- to smother his excitement behind a cool facade when he turns to face her, clearly trying to seem disinterested.

“Natsu, you wanna try some of those? We can grab dumplings from Kentaro-san while we're there, too.” Natsuki almost laughs at how convincing he sounds, but she decides to play along for now. With an enthusiastic nod, she all but leads the way through the crowds with her hand still clutched in her grandfather’s. As the only adult and thereby the tallest in their little group, he’s got the best vantage point to guide her out of the way of other, bigger people and clear the way for the rest of them. Like a gaggle of ducklings trailing after a tall, grey-haired guardian, they venture through the marketplace lines with rows and rows of vendors- both local and foreign- selling their wares. Several people- vendors and shoppers alike- greet her as she walks by, and Natsuki slowly but surely commits their names and faces to memory as she goes about her day.

She may someday have to lead these people- and even if she didn’t, the least she can do is try to remember the ones who treat her with kindness.

After an hour or so of meandering about, Natsuki finds herself looking at a large array of teas laid out by a vendor from the Continent. Her grandfather is haggling for a lower price on a packet of jade ring leaves while she finishes up the last of her Kirin Nectar lollipop, when an awed cry from Yoshiko draws her attention to another stall nearby.

“Hey, you guys, check this out!” A glance over at where the older girl is standing shows that the others are already moving to gather around her, having been summoned by her call. Natsuki slowly peels herself away from her grandfather’s side to do the same, putting her now-empty lollipop stick into her pocket- they really ought to set up more trash bags along the roads here- before trotting over to see what’s managed to catch Yoshiko’s attention this time. She isn’t quite sure what she expects, but when she actually catches sight of what everyone’s gawking at, her eyes widen in fascination.

The simple, yet elegant accessories aren’t really anything special- they’re mostly simple sets of cords that hold a single stone in the middle- but the gem itself is something else. The gemstone is smooth and polished, appearing almost crystalline in its opacity, but there’s a soft pulse of light that’s visible even under the bare shade of the stall’s roof. Reaching out with her chakra sense, Natsuki has to really focus before she’s able to discern that the faint blue glow is the result of minute amounts of chakra forming within the rock itself. The source of said chakra is miniscule, and she can only just sense its presence due to the outpouring of chakra it’s generating- microorganisms, perhaps? Is it even possible for microbes to grow in solid states like that to begin with?

“They’re so pretty.” Tatsumi breathes, and Natsuki can only nod absently in agreement. His tone turns inquisitive as he reads the sign beneath the assortment of jewellery aloud, “ _Nilavu_  stones?”

“I read about those before. They’re harvested from the mines of the tallest mountains in Frost,” Hatsume chimes in eagerly, eyes still fixated upon the soft luminescence of the gemstones on display. “They say old chakra is stored in these, from when the gods first walked upon the Earth. It’s supposed to chase away bad luck and evil energies.”

“Well, someone certainly knows her stuff.” An unfamiliar, bemused voice bearing a heavy Lightning accent chimes into the conversation, making everyone but Natsuki jump in surprise. She’d already sensed the vendor’s signature approaching them the moment they’d gathered to gawk at the lovely pieces of jewellery, as well as the faint misdirection genjutsu she’d cast over herself to conceal her presence. The woman’s steel-grey eyes stand out distinctly against her sepia skin, and Natsuki doesn’t miss the slight lift of her brow when she notices her lack of surprise at her appearance. However, it does little to deter the polite smile she wears on her face as she elaborates.

“All that you've said is true. They say the Land of Frost was the centre of the planet once, before the world was split into all its lands. The Tukka Mountains are said to be where the gods rest, until it is time for them to awaken again- that’s where these gems are from.”  
  
“Are these even allowed to be mined?” Natsuki asks, curiosity colouring her voice. The vendor’s eyes flit back towards Natsuki at her question, and she continues, “If the mountains are considered sacred, shouldn’t they be preserved, instead?”

The woman’s lips twitch slightly in amusement, but there’s a genuine look of appraisal in her gaze when she answers. “Moderation is key, as always. The world doesn’t stop its ways for the memory of sleeping gods- but we don’t test their generosity, either.” Her tone grows lighter as she says, “So then, would any of you be interested in buying one of these little charms- as a token of good luck?”

“O-oh. No thank you,” Hatsume says bashfully, while the others make similar comments of refusal. “I don't have enough money left on me.” 

“A shame. Are you sure you don’t see anything that interests you?” The woman’s stare lingers upon Natsuki longer than they do on the others, and Natsuki isn't surprised when she says, “Perhaps a yellow stone to compliment that fiery hair. How's about it? I can give you a special price if you buy two or more.” 

Natsuki looks at the price listed, and purses her lips. She isn’t one for superstition, but there _is_ substance to the myths of legend in this world- and if these really do chase away bad energy… maybe they could help with her nightmares. She’d rather like to be able to reach ten years of age without eyebags to match that growing number.

“How special a price are we talking about?” The merchant’s eyes gleam with intrigue at the unexpected challenge in her voice, but before Natsuki can start getting down to working out a bargain, a quiet comment from Akira momentarily distracts her.

“I’m surprised you even have any money left after your dumpling spree.” The seemingly casual observation earns him a glower from Natsuki- Akira has a talent for making even the most innocuous comment carry enough weight to make one pause, and the skill comes in handy when he talks down his sister or Tatsumi from doing anything reckless.

“I do have some modicum of self-control, you know.” Natsuki shoots back- even knowing so, she does a quick mental evaluation of how much she has left after spending. Next to her, Yoshiko groans.

“Stop using big words. They’re confusing,” She grumbles. Natsuki is just about to reply with something about helping her expand her vocabulary via exposure, when when she hears the sound of something dropping to the floor.

Turning towards the sound, she's surprised to see that it had come from the money pouch her grandfather had just dropped- Hiroki never drops anything, ever, he’s many things but not _careless_ \- but she's far more worried about what she detects when she instinctively reaches out for him with her chakra sense. His chakra is surging, flickering – _hope disbelief it can't be_ – in a way that she's never felt from him before, and when his eyes meet hers, Natsuki sees a fierce determination there that she's not seen since the day he'd first started teaching her how to control her chakra.

“Jii-chan?” Natsuki asks, her voice leaving her lips in a cautious murmur. She can only watch as Hiroki pauses to sweep his pouch off the ground with a fluid grace that should have been unfounded in men his age, and in the next moment he's suddenly carrying her in his arms before she can even register what's going on.

“You all stay around here. I’ll be right back.” His sudden announcement catches everyone off-guard, and all of the kids exchange glances of mild alarm before they look back at him.

“Hiroki-ojiisan, where are you going?” Tatsumi asks- but by the time he does, Hiroki is already headed deeper into the sea of people ambling about the town square.

“Just _stay put_ ,” He throws back over his shoulder, and Natsuki feels his hold tighten on her slightly as he skilfully dodges past the throng of people. With how frantically he's moving, Natsuki's surprised that he hasn't already taken to the roofs to navigate- though perhaps that would be an overreaction too great for even his taste.

She doesn’t dare voice her questions as to why he’s acting this way, abandoning the rest of the children he’d been tasked with watching over in favour of grabbing her and running like this. A dozen possibilities run through her mind as to what could have garnered this reaction, and Natsuki finds herself extending her own chakra sense around her like a security blanket in response to her own worry.

Scanning every signature that crosses her path, Natsuki begins to feel almost dizzy in her search for any potential dangers in the area. For a while, there’s nothing particularly eye-catching in the crowd, until she hears her grandfather inhale sharply and feels him stop in his tracks- right as she detects the first set of signatures to actually stand out in her mind’s eye. There are four of them, three smaller than the largest of the signatures, which feels like rumbling earth and solid rock that bears the promise of crushing all that stands in its way. Two of the smaller ones feel like burning fires, warm and strong and full of life.

The fourth… the fourth is closer to them than any of the others, coming from the young kunoichi standing before her and her grandfather with wide, lavender eyes. Her chakra feels like the ocean breeze against her face, the kiss of warm, summer wind when she opens her windows on a sunny day- and something angrier, ominous, lurking just beneath the surface. Natsuki can’t quite move as she sees the headband proudly worn on the girl’s forehead- that damned leaf symbol shouldn’t make her tremble the way it does, _damn it_ \- but to her own numbing surprise, it’s not the hitai-ate that truly strikes her deeply. It’s the girl’s hair.

It’s red. The red of fire, blood and the passion. Vibrant, breathtaking- damning.

The red of the Uzumaki.

“Kushina?” Hiroki’s voice is nearly a whisper, his face pale as he stares at the young kunoichi mirroring the same look of disbelief. Natsuki can feel the blood draining from her face as well- though for entirely different reasons. This isn’t happening. No, no, absolutely not. This _cannot_ be real.

"Hiroki-jiichan?” The kunoichi’s voice begins to crack before she can even finish speaking his name, her hands going across her mouth as she stares at Hiroki with wide, teary eyes. She takes a hesitant step forward, as if uncertain whether the sight before her would vanish like some cruel illusion, and Natsuki can only feel dread seeping into her skin as she realises that no, this is very, _very_ real. “But… it can't be- I saw you, when I left the island! You were supposed to be…”

“It's me.” Hiroki’s own voice is wrought with emotion, and if Natsuki had been able to tear her eyes away from the kunoichi in front of her, she would have seen tears brimming at the edges of his vision. Dropping to a knee, as if to reassure her he means no harm, he says, “Shina, it's really me. I'm alive.”

Those seem to be the magic words- because in a single instant, all of the fearful doubt on Kushina Uzumaki’s face is replaced with overwhelming relief. Choking back a sob, she ignores the protests of her genin team and sensei in favour of rushing towards Hiroki, who catches her in his arms all without once releasing his hold on Natsuki. The kunoichi clings to both Hiroki and Natsuki as if they were a lifeline in a sea that’s pulling her under, her breaths ragged and tears streaming down her face while she embraces the last members of a clan that she'd thought dead. It should have been a joyous moment for the Uzumaki, one when Uzushio's beloved children are finally reunited under the same blue sky- but all Natsuki sees is angry orange and red against a blanket of stars, nine tails thrashing in the air while a baby cries alone on an altar, and everything turns cold.

With each ragged sob that Kushina heaves as she clutches onto the last of her family with all her might, Natsuki feels any resolve she had of staying uninvolved in the established fate crack across the surface- a mere prelude to the moment it would shatter into a million pieces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (ramsay voice) Finally, some canon character interaction.  
> Anyway, this concludes the end of the prologue arc! We've laid the foundations to move straight into the driving plot and we may finally see some actual kisame action in the next chapter at last
> 
> While I'm here I'd like to give a shoutout to everyone who gave this fic a kudos, bookmark, and especially those who left an encouraging comment! I'm shocked that anyone even took the time to read this little thirst-derived brainchild of mine, and I really do appreciate every bit of support yall have given me! It's really encouraging to know that I'm doing a decent job so far- this is my first take on a lot of tropes and themes that I haven't really delved into with writing before, so if I accidentally make any mistakes or represent anything harmfully, please do not hesitate to inform me! I am still learning and I would gladly change any misinformed narratives should there be any!
> 
> In any case, I hope to see you guys next update (and hopefully my beta won't find this fic and physically throttle me for ignoring my other updates before then lol). In the next chapter- yall know it aint a shonen story without a timeskip babey


	3. Waking

Broken glass and fallen chairs litter the floor, surrounded by scattered papers from the small cabinet that had been thrown against the wall. A pool of ink gathers in a corner around a bottle lying on its side, the last drops of ebon dripping into the growing puddle and sending faint ripples across the surface. There are splinters of wood from where several jagged holes had been punched through the overturned table, and moving amongst the wreckage of the destroyed study room- spurred on by with the faint swirl of air from the circling ceiling fan- are long, wispy strands of carmine.

The trail of crimson grows more intense the closer it gets to its source- a mass of red tresses lying in a heap on the floor of the connecting bathroom. Next to the mess of shorn locks, back slumped against the wall and sitting almost completely still, is a seventeen year-old with hair that just barely brushes her ears and an elongated dagger with a wavy blade in her hands. The only sign of movement from her is the faint tremble of the exposed blade from how hard she’s clenching its hilt, but there is only hollowness in her eyes as she stares blankly at the white walls surrounding her.

The letter at her side stays where it is, its contents forever unchanging no matter what she does or doesn't do.

Hours pass- maybe an entire day. The sound of the door to the study room opening doesn’t make her do so much as flinch, nor do the quiet gasps and murmurs that fill the once-silent space. The voices- _familiar, so familiar_ \- grow louder, the air shifts as someone kneels by her side, but the moment their hands reach down to touch her she flinches and pulls away, afraid and yet- not.

“Natsu.” Static on her skin, a flash of silver and painful, painful violet. “Natsu. Please, put that down.”

She can’t. This is all she has left of-

“Natsuki, please.” There’s a glint of fire, and a warmth she knows deeply envelops her as familiar palms cup her face. “Look at me. I know it hurts, sweetheart. I know. But you have to come back to us.”

Words form on her lips, but she doesn’t hear them. She has no idea what thoughts make themselves known, but she finds she doesn’t care.

“Don’t say that.” The hands are stronger, gripping her face with just enough pressure to make her aware of the strength in them. “Don’t even try to make this about you. None of this was your fault, understand? You couldn’t have stopped this.”

“I saw it.” Her own voice sounds unfamiliar to her- dry and raspy and nothing like it’s supposed to be. “I saw it, and I told him. I did that to him.”

“No, Natsuki-”

“I was supposed to _protect_ us.” Something wet trickles down her face, caught by the hands that still haven’t released her. Her already ruined voice is getting even worse, like something grating and broken. “Just us. I didn’t want this.”

The blade in her hands finally falls away, clattering against the tiled floor. Her own hands are now clutching at her face as she chokes on horrible, broken sobs, almost missing the way the second person in the room joins the first by her side and wraps their arms around her. Even as she’s surrounded by people who so obviously love her, none of their comfort chases away the overwhelming, crushing guilt weighing against her chest, and Natsuki - _her name, that’s her name now, she's no longer_  -  wonders if anything ever will.

The burden of knowing the future is a difficult one to carry. On Natsuki Hagiwara’s seventeenth year of rebirth, the cruel reality of that fate rears its head, and she swears it is one that she alone will bring to her grave.

*** * ***

The mood in the Furihata family's restaurant is lively tonight- more so than what one would expect beyond opening hours, at least. Natsuki takes in the atmosphere with a small smile lingering on her face, a cup of sake clasped between her fingers while her eyes roam over the faces at the table. Akira had closed up shop an hour ago, just before Yoshiko emerged from the back room with bottles of liquor that she'd saved specially for the occasion and immediately challenged Tatsumi to a drinking contest.

The twenty-one year old councilman had hesitated, but he had a penchant for being unable to turn away a challenge, and so had acquiesced to the birthday girl's request. Natsuki, upon realising where this was going, had thus decided to take it slow and watch the ensuing train wreck as it happened.

"You sure you should be drinking tonight, Natsuki-san?" Akira’s smooth tenor reaches her ears, and Natsuki looks over her shoulder to see the young restaurant owner sliding into the seat next to her, along with his co-worker, Tsunami. He’s eyeing the nearly-empty cup in her hands, clearly remembering her poor alcohol tolerance and the last time she’d gotten completely wasted in his establishment after-hours. She remembers waking up on Tatsumi’s couch when said best friend had thrown a bucket of water over her head the next morning for being an idiot- the same bucket she’d used to completely rid herself of the previous night’s dinner almost immediately after.

"Not at all." Akira shoots her a withering look, and Natsuki raises her hands in defence, putting on a look of feigned innocence. "I'll drink in moderation, I promise. I'm done with getting blackout drunk."

"Leave it to the future Ōnami to set a good example,” Hatsume teases, earning an eyeroll from Natsuki as she takes another sip from her cup. Thankfully, she doesn’t have to say anything to defend herself, as Yoshiko- already tipsy from her first few glasses- slings an arm over her soulmate’s shoulders and interjects on her behalf.

"Hey, forget about all of that, akagami. It's my birthday, you don't have to care about any of those pressures here!" Despite the birthday girl’s vehement words, Natsuki merely shakes her head with a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine, Yoshiko-chan. Someone's gonna have to drag Tatsu home after all of this.” Right as she says that, Tatsumi takes the opportunity to finish his- fourth? fifth?- glass of beer with a grimace, gesturing to Yoshiko to take the next turn. Yoshiko swears quietly under her breath as she returns to the game at hand, muttering several indecencies about Tatsumi’s heritage as she fills her glass again. They’re the only two here who both enjoy and can really handle their drink, and it’s always fun to see them try and one-up each other in a good old fashioned contest like this when they let their hair down.

"Shouldn't you stop him, Natsuki-san? It’s still a working day tomorrow," Tsunami asks in a whisper, worry evident in her voice. She has a glass of juice in her hands that Hatsume had slid across the table to her, while Akira appears to be nursing a small cup of sake of his own.

"He's let me have my fun, so it's about time he gets a turn. Besides, he's had a rough couple of weeks since the last meeting." Her statement earns a quiet groan from Tatsumi and Hatsume both, and Natsuki grins unapologetically for reminding them of their most recent headache, even as she laments it as well. Tsunami, however, leans in with intrigue.

“What happened this time? I haven’t heard anything from Otou-san yet.”

Natsuki shrugs, taking a sip from her cup before she replies. “The draft for the rent control bill is meeting some opposition from the executive council. It's a bit of a mess, but we're trying to work out a compromise."

“ _Trying_ to.” Hatsume groans, looking at her glass of juice as though she wishes she’d taken something stronger. Natsuki can only pat her shoulder sympathetically- after all the number crunching Hatsume has had to do on her end, she has every right to feel dejected by the lack of progress.

“Then, why aren’t you joining him?”

“I get to drink on Natsuki’s birthday. Tonight’s his turn.” Hatsume replies easily, and Akira laughs at the arrangement they've clearly sorted out.

"Must be a pretty big deal if the execs are opposing it. And here I thought you lot wouldn't be able to rile them up after that petition to get the civilian reps on the board- I _still_ hear about it in the shop, by the way."

"Don’t forget the bridge project,” Tsunami adds, earning a mumbled sound of approval and a thumbs up from Yoshiko as she tosses back another glass. Natsuki winces- she’s going to feel that one in the morning. "Otou-san got so excited when the council appointed him as the supervisor- not that he’d admit that to anyone."

“Yeah, the old man’s allergic to showing any emotion that isn’t disdain.”

“Is that really how you should talk about your shishou?” Hatsume asks, raising an eyebrow at Tazuna’s most brilliant and favourite student- at least, according to Yoshiko herself. Natsuki can somewhat believe that, seeing as how Yoshiko had virtually hounded and begged the old man into finally taking her on as his apprentice before she even got out of school. Tazuna is far too prideful to ever call Yoshiko anything but a nuisance, though- even if she has proven to be one of the most innovative architects Waves has seen.

“He can dish out the insults, so he can take it.” Yoshiko shrugs, clearly unaffected. When Tatsumi finally raises his cup to his lips again, her lips curl into a scowl, and she hisses, “Dammit, Arikawa. You don’t know when to quit.”

“Don’t start a fight you can’t finish, Furihata.” Tatsumi counters easily- to any untrained eye, he seems to be the epitome of composure. To Natsuki, however, the slight tremble of his fingers as he lowers his glass is indicative that he’s breaching the line between tipsiness and full-blown drunkenness. Figuring that now would be as good a time as any to get her thoughts out in the open, before all sane conversation is lost to babysitting the two drunkards at the table, Natsuki decides to speak.

"In any case, everything we’ve been able to do has taken a group effort. All of us here- we’ve all contributed to something bigger than any one of us could have done on our own." Glancing over to every one of her friends at the table, a small, genuine smile rests on her lips when she sees that they’re all looking at her attentively. She hadn’t meant to sound so serious, but her gratitude is genuine- were it not for Hatsume and Tatsumi’s work in their respective departments, or Akira’s network amongst the villagers, and even Tsunami and Yoshiko’s influence amongst their peers, none of the efforts they’ve made would have had the impact that they did. The success of the first petition has given the people access to a voice they did not have before, motions have been passed for the improvement of labour and immigration laws, and these smaller feats have opened the door to so much more.

“It’s only thanks to all of you that we’ve been able to make so much happen. For that, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

There’s a moment of silence as everyone digests her genuine statement of gratitude, before Tatsumi puts a hand to his lips, his eyes wide with surprise. “Is that gratitude I hear from our resident princess?”

“Shut the hell up, Tatsu.” Natsuki pokes him none too gently in the gut, earning a satisfying grunt from Tatsumi moments before he bursts into laughter. The rest of the table follows suit, with Yoshiko throwing her arm over Tatsumi and complimenting him on ‘losing the rose-tinted shades’ and ‘taking her down a peg’. Natsuki rolls her eyes and ignores the subtle pokes at her character- she knows it’s all meant in good fun, and that alone won’t stop her from getting sappy every now and then. The alcohol is a good way to make sure they’re all too busy getting over the hangover as punishment for their teasing, anyway.

"You're just lucky we like you enough to see all of this through with you,” Hatsume jests, nudging Natsuki in the side. Natsuki just snorts at that, raising her cup to Hatsume’s and clinking them together.

"I'll toast to that,” she says cordially- moments before Yoshiko slams down her empty cup and stares at Tatsumi with a challenge burning in her gaze. Some of his usually slicked back, ebon hair is falling into his green eyes, and his stare darts from the cup in his hands to Natsuki’s own sake cup, and his lips curl into a frown. When he reaches for the sake jug next, everyone else at the table emits a groan of defeat as they realise where this is leading- namely, a pit in the depths of hell called Hangover Central- but otherwise, they let the two adults continue on their little contest without much protest.

A small smile plays on Natsuki’s lips as she watches her friends merrily chatting long into the night, content with just being there with them and revelling in the carefree energy of the celebration. At the end of it all, she does end up helping Tatsumi get back into his flat when he tries opening the front door with a toothpick he’d smuggled from Akira’s, before finally making her own way home under the peaceful lull of nightfall, a pleasant buzz in her ears from the alcohol and the sound of cicadas and owls echoing from the nearby forests. It’s a quiet night in Waves- there have been many of those since the end of the war three years ago- and Natsuki breathes it all in. There’s the salty tang of the ocean carried on the breeze, the faint smell of incense from the little altar set along the road to the apartment complex, the cold touch of moonlight against her skin- and she smiles.

It’s good to be alive.

 

* * *

 

There are screams in the air, hundreds of distorted voices calling for her blood as she runs through the bone-white forest. Natsuki’s breaths leave her lips in short, heavy pants as her feet carry her through the woods, not once pausing to consider where she's going or what she's running from. All she knows is that whatever is chasing her is out to kill her, and if she stops for even a moment, it will catch up to her and finish the job.

“Come on, let’s play for a bit!”

“Kill the intruder!”

“Stop running!”

Even as her heart races in her chest and her lungs burn with exertion, Natsuki finds herself feeling eerily composed as she navigates through the dark forest, moving with a singular purpose in mind under the cover of nightfall. She's clutching something in her arms, a small bundle that's wrapped in cloth and hidden from sight, and though Natsuki has no idea what it could be, she still carries it with care- like it's something fragile and precious. Something that she needs to keep away from the thing that's chasing her. A treasure to be protected at all costs.

When the pale, bare trees begin to thin out, Natsuki feels a surge of relief as she reaches a seemingly empty clearing in the middle of the forest. She only allows herself to slow down as she crosses an invisible threshold that she somehow knows is there- and when she finally lets herself fall to the ground to catch her breath, she hears the sound of a hundred footsteps stampeding towards her, feeling her hands body tensing in preparation for the onslaught. She knows it’s safe here, but still…

Natsuki turns to look at the treeline she’s left behind her, only to see the first of the monsters emerging from the shadows. Creatures with unnaturally pale skin begin to approach at a cautious pace, their lips pulled back to reveal vicious fangs while their yellow eyes glow with the promise of murder. Several of the creatures are bigger than the rest, gigantic monstrosities with multiple heads and their bodies fused together like they were made out of clay, unnatural structures protruding from their forms like large sets of teeth ready to consume any that get in their way. Again, Natsuki knows she should be frightened- and yet, all she feels is a steady calm.

“You should have stayed out of this,” One of the creatures closest to her hisses. Despite knowing how outnumbered she is, the words of the beast make her scoff.

“Yeah, well.” Natsuki finds her lip curling into a vicious smirk as she spits, “Maybe you should take a word of your own advice, you nasty old relic.”

The monster makes a terrible, gurgling growl and surges towards her with its army- but almost immediately they recoil as they all make contact with the wall of light that appears between them. Natsuki didn’t know when she’d sent her adamantine sealing chains into the ground to erect the barrier, but it’s strong- stronger than any she’s ever made before.

(This is when a small part of her mind realises this isn’t actually real. She’s never been good enough at creating barriers to make something this powerful.)

“Don't even think about it.” Natsuki growls lowly as she holds her treasure closer to her chest, anger and an almost twisted sense of joy at seeing the creature wail as the large sealing trap she'd laid out over the ground finally activates at her command, lines of chakra ink wrapping around the creature and the rest of its counterparts. She can feel herself losing strength rapidly as she expends the last of her reserves, but she refuses to let her barrier fall as she hisses, “He’s _mine_.”

“Cheater!” Another one of the monsters- one of the few with the multiple faces- thrashes against the seals, none of which do even the slightest bit of damage against the restraints. There are flashes of black and red and green outside of the barrier, and Natsuki swears she can make out the forms of countless individuals attacking the immobilised army. In a disjointed voice, it cries, “You cheated! The Fox was supposed to be _ours_!”

“Kurama belongs to no one.” Her eyes fall to the bundle in her arms, and Natsuki hears her voice soften as she says, “And someday, people will understand.”

“No!” The creature is helplessly cut down by the onslaught of people hacking it to bits, unable to withstand the onslaught of jutsu and sheer numbers being thrown at it. Its voice begins to shift into a gurgling, incomprehensible mess as it cries, “You bastard! You’ll pay for this!”

“Uzumaki-san, we're ready.” Suddenly there's another voice, and a trio of the strange, blurry-faced individuals are gathered around her. Natsuki feels a sense of heaviness weighing down upon her, as though finally coming into the clear only to be met with the terms of a terrible truth.

Looking down at the treasure she'd been protecting this whole time, she reaches a hand up to push aside some of the cloth covering it- only to reveal a small, pink face bearing whisker-like markings and a crown of fine, almost white-gold hair. Natsuki finds herself running a finger along the slumbering baby’s face, as if willing herself to remember every detail about this precious child at that very moment, never once lifting her eyes from the treasure in her arms even as she nods and gives the faceless men her okay. Leaning forward to press a kiss to the baby’s forehead, Natsuki feels warm wetness trickling down her cheeks, even as a bright golden glow envelops her in its grasp.

“ _Someday, I know you'll-_ ”

Natsuki doesn't get to finish her sentence before she jolts awake, hands clutching at her chest as her heart throbs painfully in her chest. The sudden movement has her gripping at her head as a wave of nausea and dizziness overcomes her senses, the aftereffect of a night of drinking compounding the remnants of her night terrors. Without pausing for even a second, Natsuki reaches over her bedside and grabs the bin she'd placed there before emptying the contents of her stomach. She stays that way for a good minute, allowing herself to be absolutely sure that there’s nothing else that wants to exit her system, before she finally sags against the headboard, grabbing a tissue from her bedside table to clean her face.

As she simply sits there on her bed, head throbbing and throat completely parched, Natsuki allows her mind to wander off towards the menial things on her list. It's an automatic response she’s cultivated when confronted with a sleepless night like this, and all she wants is to forget the images her mind can conjure. It’s almost five in the morning, which means she’s gotten a grand total of three hours of sleep since she’d gotten home from the celebration last night- that’s going to be great for the bags under her eyes. She’s got two hours to get her ass into gear and out into the forest for training, an hour after that to clean up and get to her office, and hopefully Tatsumi is feeling better than she does because _oh gods, she’s really feeling that last glass and her head is killing her._

Natsuki gets onto shaky feet as she stumbles towards the bathroom, already sorting through more of the day’s tasks and focusing on the day before her- all while the memories of her nightmare slip away like sand through her fingers.

 

* * *

 

There’s the sound of her adamantine chains shattering as Kaoru spears her own chains through the links, and Natsuki is forced to release the jutsu with a hiss. Before she can even recover from the shuddering feedback of having her constructs broken, she’s already dodging her mom’s quick strikes at her person, only narrowly avoiding the last swing she makes with her training sword as she uses a substitution on the rock near the riverside.

Natsuki hears the solid _thunk_ her mom’s bokken makes as it slams against the granite, wincing as she realises how close she’d come to getting a particularly nasty bruise, before she picks up on a distortion of chakra in the air around her. Shifting her hands into the tiger seal, Natsuki flares her chakra to disrupt the genjutsu attempt, only to be caught off-guard as she notices a movement to her left. Dodging under the massive paw that swipes at her head, Natsuki doesn’t have time to curse the sneaky tigress that had slipped past her senses when said animal lands on her front paws and spins around, using the momentum of her hind legs to sweep her off her feet.

Natsuki only just manages to stop herself from rolling into the water as she tumbles to the ground, her head spinning from being thrown literally ass over teakettle by the unexpected attack. Even through the haze of her dulled senses, she can feel her mom’s chakra settling down as she straps her bokken to her back- it looks like lessons are being cut short for the day after that miserable performance, thank the gods. Pulling herself to her feet, Natsuki is met with woeful amber eyes set in a feline face- Keiko, the tigress who had been the one to knock her down, whines slightly as she rubs herself against her leg, clearly remorseful for having taken her by surprise.

“How's your leg, boss? Was that last kick too hard?" Her words are spoken in the Eastern derivative of the common Continental tongue- the mother tongue of the Land of Whirlpools. Natsuki finds herself reverting to the same dialect as she replies, rubbing the young summon behind her ears in reassurance.

"Don't worry, Keiko. I'm alright." Natsuki had dislocated her ankle almost a year ago during an inspection of one of the factories- the accident having involved a few spooked horses, a convenient timber load, and her being in the wrong place at the right time. The ensuing injury had been troublesome- she’d decided on recovering naturally instead of resorting to the healing techniques of her clan- and it had impeded her training for the longest time. It seems that Keiko remembers, and Natsuki feels guilty for making her think she’s done something wrong when it was her own inattentiveness that had left her open.

“You seem distracted today, Natsuki-sama,” Meiko comments as she approaches her with slow steps, and Natsuki huffs. Of course she would have noticed- Meiko is the genjutsu master of the twin tigresses, and is far more perceptive towards her opponents’ reactions in battle. Before Natsuki can defend herself, however, her mom chooses that moment to clear her throat, calling her attention back to her as she does so.

"Alright.” Kaoru gestures towards her stomach, shooting her a wry look. “Let me see it.”

Natsuki groans, while Keiko slowly slips away from her hands and plops down next to her sister. “Kaa-san, it’s fine.”

“I know. I just want to see what you’ve done this time,” Kaoru replies evenly, her tone bearing no inflection yet somehow leaving no room for argument, either. Natsuki blows out a huff of air in exasperation, making several stubborn strands of hair that had fallen out of her hairband float off her face, but starts rolling up the hem of her training _gi_ anyway. When she reveals the three-hexagram seal painted in ink over her stomach, Kaoru moves closer to get a better look, finger hovering just slightly over her skin as she reads the web of commands connecting the seal.

“Well, the displacement construct looks stable. The lines aren’t opposing your nature, either- so why were your chains so flimsy?”

“...I drank a little last night. The seal’s messing with my chakra.” Natsuki’s quiet confession quickly wipes away any worry from Kaoru’s face, her mom’s lips curling into a smirk as she finally withdraws with a chuckle. Natsuki pulls a face at the obvious lack of sympathy for the remnants of her hangover, but her mom just flicks her forehead affectionately.

“I’ve told you to be careful with alcohol when using a stomach seal. You know you already can’t handle your drink.”

“Kaa-san…”

"You don't smell of alcohol, though?"Keiko points out curiously. She’s taken to lounging on the forest floor now, while Meiko absently paws at the circlet of beads around her neck.

“It was only one cup.” When Kaoru raises an eyebrow, Natsuki has the decency to look a little sheepish as she corrects herself. “Okay, maybe three-“ Four. “-but it was barely anything! I have to go to work today.”

“This.” Her mom points at her stomach, before she redirects her pointer finger towards her head. “Affects this. Remember the basics, Natsu- the body and mind must be in agreement with the seal. Even the slightest disruption can weaken the commands of a self-placed seal.”

“I know.” Natsuki sighs at the lecture- she’s heard the repeats of all her fuuinjutsu lessons multiple times at this point, but she keeps her mouth shut and appreciates the refreshers anyway. Who knows when they might come in handy? “I might have gotten a little carried away. It was a fun night.”

“You should have told me. I would have given you the morning off today.” Here, Kaoru’s eyes soften slightly, and even her voice lowers as she asks, “Any nightmares last night?”

Natsuki shrugs. “Nothing too bad.”  A small, white lie- but not quite. Her mind has conjured up worse images, and the Yin energy dispersal seal has already helped reduce her night terrors by a fair bit. Drinking is one of the few things that can make her dream of anything these days, since the seal basically reduces her regular bouts of dormant spiritual activity to zero- a few conscious hours of numbing her mind slightly while awake almost aren't worth the resulting terrors, but that hasn't stopped her yet.

Kaoru doesn’t give any indication that she suspects Natsuki’s lying, merely nodding as she gestures for Natsuki to join her while she heads towards the spot where they’d left their belongings. Once she’s entered the shade of the trees and away from the glare of the sun on the riverbank, Natsuki sighs as she plops down on the floor without hesitation, lying against Meiko who has settled at her back. Her brain feels a little more like mush after being hit with the tiger’s genjutsu onslaught during the fight, but at least it isn’t so bad that she’s throwing up again.

She feels a tap on her shoulder, and reaches out to take the water canteen her mom is offering her without even opening her eyes, a murmur of thanks on her lips. Natsuki can see Kaoru’s outline clear as day with her chakra sense as she settles down in front of Keiko right next to her, and from the way her chakra doesn't quite settle down, she knows her mom has something to say even before she opens her lips.

“Yura-chan came to visit me the other day.” The topic is surprising enough that Natsuki slowly pries her eyes open, listening intently as her mom speaks. Kaoru’s shoulder length locks- an uncommon shade of silver instead of the Uzumaki’s crimson- are tousled by the slight breeze that blows by, and she pushes it out of her eyes as she continues, “She asked what subjects she should focus on before enrolling in the police academy. She seems pretty set on wanting to join the force.”

“What did you tell her?” Natsuki asks, carefully suppressing her chakra to avoid showing any sign of worry. It doesn't make much of a difference- Kaoru isn't a sensor the way that she is- but she's gotten so used to keeping a grip on her chakra that it's become almost second nature.

“I answered her honestly. Told her it would be a lot of hard work, and she should probably start thinking on which department she’d be interested in working in.” When Kaoru answers so casually, Natsuki finds her grip on her chakra relaxing slightly. She's relieved that her mom hadn't been yet another person to dissuade Yura from her ambitions. Natsuki had only been a part-time teacher at the local middle school for a short while, but having taken the effort to personally engage with the young, but headstrong child, she'd found herself supporting her dreams for the future fervently.

It's just frustrating that it had taken her until then to realise just how many of Waves’ occupations still haven't made themselves quite accessible to others like Yura.

“Did she have one in mind?”

“She told me she wants to join the patrol squad.” Natsuki smiles at the answer- Yura had always explained how much she loves the outdoors, and while patrol duty may get repetitive outside of rare moments of excitement, it’s better than cooping up her free spirit in a cubicle. “She’s really thought this through. I just hope the instructors will take to the notion kindly.”

The morose look on her mother's face has Natsuki sitting up a little straighter. “Haven’t the sign language classes for the MPs already started?”

“The intended purpose was for communicating with civilians. Having an officer use it to teach students is new, especially when most of us only know the basics.” Kaoru rubs a hand over her face, clearly lost in thought. “I’m not sure what the others will think until the time comes.”

“Well, what do _you_ think about it?” Kaoru’s gaze fixes itself on her again at the question, and Natsuki can see her genuinely sifting through her thoughts for an answer. Natsuki drums her fingers idly against her thighs as she waits- if she doesn't distract her hands with something else, she'll just end up ruining the hem of another good shirt. She's had all sorts of discussions about her ideals and plans with her family members even before she'd started working on the council to help run the country, but this question is on a smaller scale. She's asking for Kaoru’s opinion as a ranked member of the police force, not what she thinks these movements are doing for Waves.

“I think,” Kaoru says slowly, before a slight smirk pulls on the corner of her lip. “We could do with opening our doors to new changes. I'll do my best to keep an eye on Yura if she joins up.”

“ _When_ she joins up. Let’s face it, there’s no stopping her once she’s made up her mind.” Natsuki corrects with a chuckle, feeling another swell of reassurance within her chest as Kaoru snorts quietly and settles back against Keiko as well. She's relieved that her parents and her see eye-to-eye on many of her opinions- not all of them, sure, but it's better than all the flak that many of the old coots on the council give her. Some days it feels like most of them would rather have the Shinigami itself come for their heads rather than implement any changes to their comfort zones, especially at the behest of a ‘child’ like herself. Perhaps age has made them forget that Ayano had only been about five years older than she is when she'd inherited the mantle- and that's _without_ the extra years that Natsuki has accumulated mentally.

Not that they know that, of course. No one did, except-

"Say, Boss." Keiko suddenly speaks up, a sliver of genuine curiosity in her voice. "Is it just me, or is your compass moving slower?"

Natsuki blinks at the interruption, before looking down at the compass on her left wrist. It looks the same as always to her- its needle forever spinning in a spiral that never ends. Useless piece of junk.

"Dunno. I don't pay enough attention to tell,” Natsuki replies honestly. Meiko turns her head to shoot her a strange look out of the corner of her eye.

"Shouldn't you, though?" The tiger asks, and Natsuki scoffs. Like she has the time for that after nineteen years of staring at this thing with no progress whatsoever.

"I've got other things to be worried about besides a broken compass. No offence, Kaa-san,” She quickly adds. Her mother merely grunts at her remark- she's heard Natsuki dismiss her soul mark so many times in the past that she doesn't try to change her mind anymore.

"In all seriousness, Natsuki-sama, it does look like it’s moving a bit slower than usual." Meiko stresses, her own eyes now fixed on the ebon compass. Perhaps the tigers can see something in the turns of the needle better than she can, what with their incredible vision. She isn't inclined to argue with them on this, though.

"Maybe.” Natsuki relents, taking another swig from the water container as she finally averts her gaze. It doesn’t matter in the end- she used to pay more attention when she was younger, but after the war, it just became a secondary worry as she finally started training properly to become her mother’s successor. There had just been too many other things to worry about, especially after...

Natsuki bites the inside of her cheek as she runs a hand through her hair- it’s been a while since she last cut it, and it's almost touching her shoulders again. A part of her wants to take out one of the kunai sealed beneath her practice arm guards and hack at the thick, overgrown mane of red there and then- but the rational part of her mind tells her that it can wait until later, so that way she can contain the mess and avoid having her mom stare reproachfully at her for her lack of self-control.

Her eyes flicker towards the woman sitting next to her again- Kaoru has her eyes closed as she lies against Keiko’s back, the large cat purring as she scratches her under her chin. Natsuki smiles at the sight, automatically reaching to do the same for Meiko. The twins are the youngest of the tiger clan, having been born about ten years ago- the same year that Natsuki had signed the contract herself. They'd grown together with her, honing their own specialties while training alongside and against her, and she loved them dearly- even amongst all the other tigers she's come to meet over the years.

Though Natsuki sometimes laments that she can never truly bring them to their full potential, having tied them to a non-shinobi like herself, she finds herself grateful more than anything else- after all, this way no one has to senselessly die fighting the battles of other men. Here in Waves, all is safe, and she wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

Closing her own eyes for a moment, Natsuki takes another deep breath and reaches out to grasp her mom’s hand. There she lies beneath the cover of leaves and sunlight, warm spring air dancing against her skin, and allows herself to bask in this treasured moment of peace.

 

* * *

 

“You’re joking. He actually showed up to the office? Even Yoshiko-chan had to get Otou-san to let her have the day off!” Tsunami’s voice bears nothing but awe as she clears another table, having to throw her voice over her shoulder at Natsuki who sits at the counter. Furihata's is packed to the brim at lunchtime, as usual, and all the staff members are too busy handling the flow of customers to entertain too much small talk.

“Forget that- I don't think she's even left her room since I last checked.” Akira whistles lowly as he ties off the packet of noodles in his hands, along with a bag of milky-white soup to go with it. “Tatsumi’s really something else with that iron stomach of his.”

“He’s not entirely free of suffering, though. Hatsume’s been making the effort to be _very_ clear with her announcements the whole day.” Tatsumi had looked like he was ready to hurl something at the loudspeaker on the wall the third time Hatsume cheerily tuned into the PA system just to provide some barely-important update from her department, and Natsuki smirks at the memory. When Akira hands off her takeaway order to her, she gives him a curt nod of thanks and asks, "Are we still on for dinner tomorrow, by the way?"

"Tsunami-san already made the reservations.” Said woman shoots them both a thumbs up as she walks towards another table to take their order, and Akira winks playfully at Natsuki when she gets to her feet. “Don’t be late, alright?”

"Yeah, yeah.” Natsuki dismisses the comment with a discreet, but crude hand gesture that earns her another bark of laughter from Akira. A grin of her own lingers on her lips as she leaves the restaurant, offering pleasant greetings with some of the customers that she recognises along the way.

The raffia ties of her takeaway lunch are hooked over the fingers of one hand, and she takes to the streets at a brisk place, humming a song unfamiliar to this world as she does so. She’s in a surprisingly good mood today, even as she’s still feeling the slight effects of her hangover in her throbbing head and sore joints- and perhaps that’s why she’d made her first mistake of overlooking the chakra patterns around her.

Natsuki only realises that a pair of signatures have been trailing behind her when she’s two blocks away from the Ōnami’s office, and as she slows her steps slightly, she is careful to keep her own chakra flowing at a natural pace even as her heartbeat quickens. Suddenly hyper-aware of the number of people are milling around along this path, and how her reserves are running lower than she'd like compared to her stalkers, she considers the situation. The chances of an attack in broad daylight among so many are low, but the crowd also provides an opportunity for any shinobi worth their salt to slip in and out without even blinking, and she could be dead in seconds.

A worst-case scenario, perhaps- but after everything that's happened over the past few years, she’d expected an attempt on her life at some point.

Even in the light of the afternoon sun, Natsuki feels cold as she places a hand over her stomach, using the smallest pulse of chakra necessary to release the seal- if it comes to a fight, she can't afford to have her control compromised. Once she feels the effects of the dispersal seal subside, she almost immediately feels her senses sharpen with the removal of the block on her core- it'll be a pain to remake that seal, but that's time she’s willing to spare. Finally slowing to a stop along the side of the road, she turns around with a small smile on her lips, trying to seem as casual as possible when she faces the duo who have been following her for the past few minutes. The man and the woman approaching her seem harmless, and they look to be exchanging words with each other casually enough, but Natsuki’s not fooled.

She knows her home and its citizens well, and she’s never seen these signatures before. They’re too strong to be regular civilians, with shinobi-level chakra that’s difficult to place- not quite jounin-level, but she would say they’ve got stronger reserves than the regular Konoha chuunin. Just who are these people?

"Can I help you?" She asks politely, quickly assessing the two strangers. They’re both rather young, possibly a year or so younger than she herself is, and while the woman is a petite thing clad in pale grey travelling clothes, the man is taller than Natsuki by a good head- and that's a little impressive, given that Natsuki only misses six feet by a couple of inches. They don't seem nervous or surprised at catching her attention- but it's hard to tell what they're feeling even with her chakra sense. They've both got excellent control over their chakra if this is nonchalance is faked- none of it seems forced; it's as if they really are just casually intrigued.

"Yes, we actually have a question." The woman speaks first, a somewhat sheepish smile on her face. ”It’s our first time here in Waves, you see, and we were hoping you could give us a hand. We've gotten a little lost.”

The question is innocuous enough, but Natsuki maintains her distance as she gives a courteous nod. “Yeah, that can happen sometimes. Where are you headed to?”

“We have a ride to catch on the Southern docks. Could you tell us which path to take?”

“Sure thing. From here, you just need to head back into town and walk downstream of the main river, and then when you come across the pharmacy on your left…”

For a moment, as Natsuki relays the appropriate directions without either of the strangers reacting suspiciously, she begins to think that maybe her suspicions are unfounded. Maybe these guys are retired shinobi who are just passing by? Yugakure had just undergone its demilitarisation, after all- these guys could be stragglers who have decided to travel the world now that they're free. Perhaps she'd been too quick to judge them, her paranoia running high after that nightmare of being chased in the dark.

Natsuki’s second mistake is dismissing her sore, aching joints as the aftereffects of a few drinks. It isn't until she finishes her sentence that she is struck by how much her neck hurts, and she absently rubs at her nape when she feels something long and thin sticking out the base of her neck. That’s weird, when had- _oh, shit_.

Natsuki stumbles backwards in shock as soon as she realises what’s happening, suddenly all too aware of how lethargic she’s feeling. A sedative, maybe? Hell if she knows. The expressions on the faces of the strangers are stoic, unmoving even as she comes to realise exactly what they’ve done, and Natsuki’s immediate train of thought is to take to the rooftops and lose them. However, the man beats her to the chase, using a _shunshin_ to intercept her path before she can take so much as a step.

The moment she opens her mouth to call attention to herself, the woman darts forward and jabs another senbon into her neck, and Natsuki’s world turns dark.

 

* * *

 

It was supposed to be just another regular day. She would have her morning workout, rest a bit before heading off to work, and then retire to bed with little fuss. A stress-free day when the only things she would have to worry about are last minute meetings with the council and influxes of paperwork to review.

She wasn't supposed to find herself here. Not kidnapped by a bunch of shinobi.

When Natsuki finally pries her eyelids open again, it takes her a good long moment to remember what happened through the absolutely mind-numbing throb in her skull. Her first instinct is to panic, and she immediately tries to move her hands to push herself up- only to find that they have been tied behind her back and that her feet are bound, too. Realising she's been rendered immobile, Natsuki forces herself to reel in her emotions, trying to assess the situation to see what her options for escape are.

Her cheek itches slightly from the where she'd been lying against the ground, and her left arm is feeling particularly sore from where she'd been lying on it for- hours? It's possible, the lack of sunlight and almost complete darkness enshrouding her indicates that it's nightfall, when she distinctly remembers having been intercepted early in the afternoon. She can feel the chakra of her captors behind her, and though she's certain they've noticed her awakening, the agitation in their respective signatures tells her that they were possibly arguing just before she'd started stirring. She'd turn to look at them, but Natsuki instead remains on her side, eyes squinting into the thicket of trees and shrubbery in the forest beyond. She needs to get her head on straight again- and staring at the nuke-nin who had successfully abducted her in broad daylight would only distract her.

Besides, this way they might think she's still incoherent after being knocked out like that. Given how she can still feel her head pounding inside her skull, she’d probably believe she wouldn't be moving for a while, too.

Her wrists itch against the grainy ropes that keep her hands tied behind her back, and as her captors slowly return to speaking amongst themselves- convinced she isn't going to start causing any problems- Natsuki does a quick self-check. She isn't foolish enough to believe her shinobi captors would have left her bindings half-assed, and she knows she couldn't possibly undo them even if she could without alerting them. They hadn't gagged her, but without her hand seals, she's no good for any orally-expelled jutsu. Besides that… her reserves are running on half, at least. The dispersal seal on her stomach had slowed her chakra replenishment by a good deal for half the day, and she'd used up quite a bit on training earlier, even if the lesson had been cut short.

Nothing about this situation is optimal, and Natsuki curses her luck. Still, her dwindling hope doesn't stop her from channelling a stream of chakra to her ears as she clarifies her hearing, trying to get an idea of what has her captors so worked up. Even in a potential life or death scenario, there's something to be said about knowledge bearing power- and navigating her life as the Ōnami’s successor has trained her to snoop very discreetly.

"Everything we've heard checks out so far. This is definitely the one he told us about."

"But will Orochimaru really be satisfied if we hand over some girl who only _might_ be an Uzumaki? How do we know that man isn’t just setting us up?”

“What other choice do we have? You gonna waltz into a Hidden Village and steal one of their clan members?”

A ringing starts up in her ears as soon as Natsuki is able to compute what she just heard, and the panic she’d so carefully tucked away start bubbling beneath the surface of her composure once more. _Orochimaru's_ the one these goons are trying to sell her off to? Natsuki had already guessed that these ninja were trying to get into another village’s good graces by offering her as a sacrificial lamb, but the Snake Sannin? Natsuki’s hands flex as she helplessly tries to pull against her bindings again- _bodies cut open, a thirst for power and knowledge, prisoners forced to fight to the death in his search for the most powerful host -_ but it’s no use. She can’t escape like this, but she can’t let that madman get his hands on her.

The damage he would be able to do if he extracts the knowledge in her head may just be worse than anything she could possibly imagine. She can’t let that happen- she _won’t_. With that single denial pushing her forward, Natsuki gradually pulls herself together again, taking deep breaths to try and calm down. She can’t afford to panic, not when this may be her only chance of escaping her fate. She just… she just has to think of something. She's good at that.

"Hey, calm down. Maybe if we can find that guy again-”

"Are you kidding? He’d kill us himself if we go back now! Listen, we’ve already committed to this, so let’s just get to Oto and finish the job.”

“But don't you get it? Once we're in, we’re in this for life, Jiro! How can we be sure he isn't going to kill us anyway?”

“I… he won't. We'll be his only source of inside information, he's not going to just get rid of us.”

Natsuki finally steadies her breathing, running through some of the options she’s managed to piece together in her head. She already knows damn well she can't outrun a ninja, so that leaves two choices. She can give up here and allow these traitors to give her up to Orochimaru for whatever sick experiments he can come up with- or she can resist, fight, and maybe die in the process of doing so.

The choice is obvious. Eternal silence would be preferable to anything that madman would put her through- and she would not give anyone, especially him, the satisfaction of tormenting her. Not when there are still things in this world she wants to protect.

"I should never have listened to you. We could be walking right into a trap!”

"We can argue about this later!" The woman’s voice finally snaps, and from the weight of her footsteps, Natsuki can tell she’s stomping back to retrieve her. It’s now or never. "Right now, we need to get a move on, so just shut up and bear it."

She can feel the kunoichi approaching her back in her mind’s eye, and Natsuki makes sure she keeps very, very still. The moment the woman gets close enough and is just about to grab her, Natsuki channels all her chakra in her centre, moulding it into chains that burst out from her back and spear through the kunoichi right as she starts to bend down. She doesn’t need to look to know she’s hit her mark- the woman’s chakra jumps in shock for just a moment before it begins to sputter out after the fatal blow- and Natsuki desperately ignores the unpleasant memories that surface at the sound of tearing flesh and breaking bones. Extending her chains even more, she quickly swings them at the second shinobi- but she’s just a bit too slow with her follow-up, and she can sense as the man leaps back and out of her range just as the chains spear into the ground where he’d been standing.

Natsuki curses, but she recovers and immediately goes for her next course of action. Taking advantage of the opening left by the shinobi’s surprise, she retracts her adamantine chains, dropping the body of the kunoichi before she sends the extensions of her chakra into the ground. Erecting a barrier without her hand seals is difficult, especially as she struggles to maintain control necessary to do so, but she manages to form a weak shell that would buy her the time she needs to make her next move.

As the second shinobi begins to recover from his shock, Natsuki sinks her teeth _hard_ into her bottom lip, gathering and spitting the welling blood onto the ground. Twisting her body around, she prays to every higher being and more to hear her as she throws herself backwards onto the spot, her hands stinging as they come into contact with the bloodied dirt. Still, her hand is touching the blood- and that's all she needs for the black seals to spread out from beneath her palm moments before her weak barrier collapses under the force of an explosive tag.

 _Kuchiyose-_!

The familiar cloud of chakra smoke erupts beneath her as her summon calls forth its intended target, who appears with a growl and almost tosses Natsuki to the side with its sheer mass. Kazuki is quick on the uptake, and without her even having to say anything, the tiger makes quick work of her bindings in two clean swipes before turning immediately to face the shinobi full-on. Her hands and legs finally free, Natsuki quickly joins her summon companion on her feet, turning to properly look at her kidnappers for the first time.

At some point during her abduction, her captors had changed out of their travelling clothes in favour of the standard shinobi gear. The man is wearing a headband bearing the carved steam wisps of Yugakure, a gash across three lines- so, she'd been right on that guess, at least. Natsuki warily watches the missing-nin as his dark eyes dart between her, the armoured tiger next to her, and his dead companion. A flurry of emotions flash across his face, before it finally settles into cold outrage as he makes the hand seals for a shadow clone.

"You'll pay for that, bitch." She feels the sharp whip of his wind chakra as it flares with killing intent, but Natsuki staunchly refuses to react to it. Her head is still in a bit of a mess, but she's got Kazuki, and her hands are free. She can do this, and with that thought in mind, she moves to strike in favour of a reply.

The first minute or so of battle has her feeling- not good, but certainly confident enough that she actually stands a chance of winning. Natsuki’s speed has always been her strong suit, honed by years of practice against her jounin-level teachers, and it comes to show in how she's able to dodge the combination of jutsu and weaponry the Yuga-nin hurls at her. Without any weapons of her own on hand, Natsuki keeps two adamantine chains permanently drawn, using the bladed ends to parry and counter the ninja’s own katana. He's skilled, however- enough that he's able to keep up with both her and Kazuki tag-teaming him, and neither of them succeed in landing a blow or dispelling his clone. Each strike he makes is parried and countered, only for her own attacks to be blocked or dodged in turn. Even as she manages to sneak in an Air Bullet jutsu at one point, he’d brought up a wall of wind of his own to dissipate the oncoming projectiles. Natsuki is almost glad that she’d managed to do in the kunoichi with such a cheap shot before- if it had been a proper two-on-two, she has no doubt that she’d be dead.

It's a horrible thought to have, especially in the face of her first real kill, but she pushes aside the guilt for later, when she’s not fighting for her life. When she’s ready to confront the mess that she carefully keeps under wraps. Always, always later.

However, there's just one advantage the ninja has that Natsuki and Kazuki don't- and it's ultimately what costs them. Natsuki hasn't really trained alongside Kazuki in combat before, having only summoned him because he puts the least amount of strain on her chakra- but that means neither of them are particularly used to working in sync in a proper battle scenario.

So, as the ninja’s shadow clone distracts the tiger and Natsuki holds her own against the Yuga-nin, she doesn't see it coming when the shadow clone body flickers behind the original and forms the hand seals for a Wind Blade jutsu.

With both her chains tied up in defending against a flurry of slashes that the Yuga-nin is throwing at her, Natsuki only catches the tell-tale surge of chakra from his clone before she disengages and dodges at the last possible second. Her reaction is just a moment too slow, however- she feels the jutsu slice into her side right as she uses a substitution on a distant patch of grass, and she gasps at the sudden, blinding pain. When Natsuki lands on her knees against the ground, hands clutching at the injuries she's sustained, it takes all her strength not to scream as her fingers slide against the deep wounds that have entrenched her skin. She can feel the blood gushing from the wounds, the most severe of which had only just missed her vitals, and she can only think about how lucky she is that she isn’t dead yet.

Even as she’s momentarily distracted by the agony, Natsuki doesn’t miss the trail of chakra connecting to the tree trunk next to her as her enemy attempts to use a replacement to get close again. Clearly, he hasn’t caught on to the fact that she’s a sensor, and with a scowl Natsuki pre-emptively lashes out with her chains- just in time to spear the shadow clone straight through its body. Finally- one down, and just one more to go.

A yelp of pain has her spinning towards Kazuki once more, her feet already carrying her forward on instinct alone. The man had somehow sent her tiger flying into a tree, but Kazuki recovers quickly and leaps back into the fray, claws and teeth slashing and snapping at the ninja while Natsuki lets her sealing chains drop, waiting patiently for an opening. Seeing a chance to attack when Kazuki catches the ninja’s sword in his teeth, Natsuki replaces herself with a rock by the ninja’s feet and drops low, chakra burning at her fingertips as she strikes at his legs with her palm. The ninja narrowly dodges the brunt of her attack, foregoing a chance to attack the tiger in favour of keeping his leg- but her fingers still manage to brush against the bandages wrapped around his ankle, and that’s all it takes for the paralysis seal to wrap itself around the limb. The ninja stumbles over himself when his leg suddenly stops responding to his command, and that is exactly the break that Kazuki needs. The tiger's claws sink into the flesh of his shoulder with a sickening squelch, and the Yuga-nin howls in pain as he drops to the ground, only narrowly evading Kazuki’s teeth clamping down on his neck as he once again uses a replacement jutsu to escape.

From the other side of the small clearing, Natsuki can see the furious glint in the shinobi's eyes as blood seeps into his clothes from his ruined shoulder. His killing intent nearly doubles in pressure, but Natsuki stands firm and glares back at him evenly as she readies herself for another exchange of blows, trying hard not to let her legs shake from exhaustion that's starting to show through. The gashes in her side are impeding her movements more than she’d like to admit, and her reserves are starting to run low- she'd already been tired out after her training, and the fact that these clowns had abducted her before she'd had the chance to eat does little for her plummeting energy.

But she won't die here, she _can't_. She has to attend Yura’s graduation, Hatsume and Tatsumi are counting on her to push for that programme they'd been working on, she needs to tell her parents how much she loves them and- _there's someone else here_.

Natsuki registers the feeling of something amiss even before she hears the crack of a branch snapping underfoot, the jarring sound immediately forcing her to rip her eyes away from her opponent. It's deathly quiet all of a sudden, and even the movements of the rogue shinobi halt along with the rest of the forest. He'd stopped his advance the moment he’d heard the sound, and his wild eyes are darting around blindly, looking into the trees that surround them for the source of disruption. Natsuki can't help but do the same- but instead, her eyes follow the outline of barely concealed chakra amidst the treeline with a newfound sense of trepidation. Whoever's here, they’re... circling them. Waiting- but for what?

For a moment, there's absolutely nothing, save for the beating of her heart in her ears. And then Natsuki hears the scream before she registers the source of the foreign chakra appearing right in front of her.

When she turns back towards the shinobi, Natsuki doesn't realise what exactly she's witnessing right off the bat. It's the jarring, grotesque sounds accompanying it that snap her out of her momentary stupor, and when she finally understands what she's looking at, she feels her stomach flip over. She thought seeing a limp body hanging over her cradle had been traumatising, but this... this is beyond any macabre nightmare she could possibly have envisioned.

The hulking creature embedded deep in the crook of the man's neck makes an odd squelching sound as its numerous scales move in wave-like motions, digging deeper into the flesh. The sight of the man's face, twisted in terror as his body goes limp and pale would have been horrifying enough, only- that's a _weapon_. One that radiates chakra in a way that Natsuki has never felt before. It's a mishmash of all sorts of jarringly different energies that's almost sickening just to linger upon, held together by something ravenous and very much _alive_. It's ozone and typhoons and breaking waves and fresh soil and- and the dry, whispery chakra of the man it has just killed, seeping out from the corpse and sucking it dry.

It's... monstrous. Nauseating- and it's wielded by an owner who is somehow almost as big as the sword itself.

As she watches the black-clad swordsman yank the monster sword free of the rogue's corpse, a part of her can’t help but marvel at the sheer strength of this stranger- even as the sight of ruined flesh and exposed bones sears itself into her memory. She’s so stunned that it’s hard to do anything but stare, even as Kazuki positions himself between her and the newest threat and braces for battle.

When she focuses her senses on the swordsman, it's a mistake Natsuki immediately regrets. A choked gasp escapes her lips as she nearly stumbles backwards, only just barely keeping herself upright upon being hit with the sheer impact of the chakra flooding her senses. Now that they're not intentionally concealing their presence, she can feel just how massive the stranger's reserves are- building waves as tall as skyscrapers and slumbering whirlpools that could pull her under on a whim. Natsuki has never pulled back her chakra sense so fast before, the whiplash from doing so making her already aching head throb with a new jolt of pain, and fear seeps into her bones as she is forced to acknowledge just how outmatched she is here. The newcomer looks at her then- and that's when Natsuki truly feels her heartbeat stop in her chest.

There’s absolutely no way this is happening.

She'd been shocked enough by the horrors of everything that had just ensued, and yet _this_ \- this single moment is the one that actually strikes pure, unadulterated fear into her veins. Despite every alarm in her head going off and her most primal instincts blazing with the urge to _run_ , she’s somehow able to meet that unearthly stare whilst her blood turns to ice in her veins. She recognises the symbol of Kirigakure on his slashed hitai-ate, and recalls a character in a story from her time before all this madness. No one else could have a face like that- pale blue skin and an impossible combination of shark-like features on a human visage.

Of all the people in the world that she could encounter, Natsuki never once considered the possibility of Kisame Hoshigaki.

Immediately, Natsuki’s eyes flicker back towards the bodies of her captors, and she swallows thickly as she realises just how soon she could join them if this goes wrong. “I don’t suppose you’re here to collect these traitors,” She asks, trying her best to appear unaffected by his presence- not that it helps any. She’s probably radiating fear, even as she tries and fails to quell her chakra.

"Who are you?"

That... is not a response she'd expected. Natsuki stares at the giant of a man before her, trying to gauge just what he’s after by asking such a question, but finds herself coming up short. Instead of trying to lie her way around it, she decides to come clean- shinobi could probably smell lies a mile away, and she may be a politician, but she’s nowhere near good enough to deceive the likes of them. The last thing she wants to do is piss him off by trying to do so.

"I'm the daughter of the Ōnami of Waves. These men believed me to be a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, and attempted to take me hostage." Her wrists still burn from the chafing of the ropes earlier, and it's making her uncomfortable, but she forces herself to remain still as she awaits Hoshigaki’s response.His strange eyes are impossibly bright under the darkness of night, and it’s impossible to read his expression.

"What is your name?"

Natsuki is so surprised by the follow-up question that she actually blinks in surprise. “What?”

"Your _name_." The Kiri-nin repeats, something like mild exasperation leaking into his tone at how she had failed to understand such a simple question. Natsuki eyes him warily, trying to figure out just what game he’s playing at by throwing such strange queries at her, but answers nonetheless.

"Natsuki Hagiwara,” She says slowly, and she detects a waver in Hoshigaki’s signature- relief? That only makes her even more confused, and the long silence that follows her answer doesn’t help either.

Natsuki’s about to lose her patience and chime in with a clipped ‘ _this is usually where you tell me yours_ ’, before the itch on her hand makes itself known again, this time with such fervour that she has to hold back a wince. Finally caving in, she rubs absently at her wrist, still not quite daring to look away from the Kirigakure no Kaijin’s piercing gaze- however, the sentiment is clearly not shared. Instead, Hoshigaki's eyes are suddenly drawn to her hands at the movement, his expression unreadable. Natsuki opens her mouth, undoubtedly to make some sort of remark about how she's not stupid enough to try and attack him, but Kazuki suddenly interjects with a hiss.

" _Shōko_. Your mark." For a moment, Natsuki doesn't make the connection, nor does she comprehend the urgency in Kazuki’s voice.

That's when she glances down and sees it. The black ink of the eternally spinning compass etched into her skin- but it's not the same sight she's grown used to. Instead, the needle is now perfectly still, balanced on its axis without even the slightest sway- and it's pointing right at the shinobi in front of her.

Natsuki doesn't move. She can't even if she wants to, for she swears her heart has suddenly stopped functioning along with her mind and maybe her eyes too, because there is absolutely no way this is happening. She doesn't even think about glancing at Hoshigaki as her eyes remain fixated upon the compass, the needle stilled in a peaceful balance that it's never been in before. There's no doubting now why he'd been able to find her in the middle of nowhere, why he’d looked at her like that and asked such odd questions. His wrists are covered, but she doesn't have to see to know that the exact same compass is on his right hand, down to every minute swirl and pattern. Every instance that she’s felt her compass hurt ever since she was young, the increased moments of pain during the wars that made her realise her soulmate is a shinobi- it all adds up. This is her soulmate.

Her fucking _soulmate_ is _Kisame Hoshigaki._

"Are you really an Uzumaki?"

Slashed hitai-ate. Black cloaks and crimson clouds. Red hair on a withering man and a monstrous statue from the age of gods. Natsuki is immediately shaken from her momentary stupor at all the images that single question brings up, and Kazuki shoots her a glance as he senses her sudden tension. Forcing herself to remain neutral, because _think about this later, it isn't safe yet_ \- Natsuki tears her eyes away from her soul mark and focuses upon Hoshigaki with a calmness she doesn’t really feel. "What's it to you?"

There's a hint of teeth revealed behind the twitch of his lips, a faint echo of the broad, taunting smile she remembers drawn upon a caricature of Hoshigaki's face from a lifetime ago. This lopsided baring of jagged teeth is tentative, as if it's something born out of habit more than actual malice.

"Call it curiosity. I'm wondering if these nuke-nin were on the money with their assumption, or if they were just deceived into chasing lost legends." He reaches out with his foot to kick at the mangled corpse on the ground, and Natsuki deliberately keeps her eyes focused on Hoshigaki when he doesn’t look away, either. "Though, you clearly aren't just any ordinary civilian, Hagiwara-san."

The blood drying on her palms start to flake off as she rubs her fingers together, carefully considering her options. She has no idea how to approach this situation, or what the consequences of her answers will be, so she decides on playing neutral. "Let's say that I was. Why would I confess that to a shinobi who might just be after me for the same reasons as these two?"

Hoshigaki raises an eyebrow, before gesturing towards the Yuga-nin. "I just killed one of them for you."

"You might have done it so you could claim the credit for abducting me instead,” Natsuki counters, which only succeeds in making his grin broaden. She has no idea what’s so funny about what she said, but she doesn’t get a straight answer.

"Those chains you used weren't just any old parlour trick. Remnants of Uzushiogakure's lost techniques, right?"

Kazuki growls, his voice low and menacing as he reverts to common Continental. "You have no right to even _breathe_ that name, Mist scum."

"Hold on." Natsuki places a hand on Kazuki, stilling the tiger from doing anything reckless. With narrowed eyes, she asks, "How would you know that?"

Hoshigaki shrugs. "There were one or two of your kind in the war- they had the same hair.” There’s a gleam of… _something_ , in those inhumanly bright eyes as he says, "It's hard to forget the kind of damage those chains can do. The red at least makes for a particularly bright target."

It's basic knowledge to never turn away from a potential enemy when they're in front of you. The very first rule of battle, in fact- and yet Natsuki ignores that ingrained lesson in favour of turning her eyes away from the Mist-nin before her, painfully forcing down the fury and despair that crawls up her throat. Even Kazuki is growling wordlessly again, and this time Natsuki doesn't calm him. "So, you killed them."

"It was them or me." Despite the almost condescending way in which he says that, Natsuki senses the barest flicker of chakra within him before it settles immediately. It's hard to tell what that means, but Natsuki wonders- is that... worry, that she detected? "You feel more upset about a few strangers dying than the possibility of having your compass go grey?"

Natsuki has to bunch her hands into Kazuki’s fur to prevent the wildcat from reacting- and to prevent herself from saying anything thoughtlessly. Hoshigaki is saying it like it's nothing, but his momentary lapse in control is a giveaway. This question means something to him, and how she answers here is important. Slowly, Natsuki says, "Blood is all that’s left of my clan’s legacy. To feel its loss in any capacity hurts, especially when so few of us remain."

She takes a breath. A part of her wants her to answer in a way she thinks he might want to hear- passive, forgiving, unoffended- but it's silenced by her stubborn, stupid pride. She's seen too much suffering in the eyes of her family to simply let this slight on their- on _Uzushio's_ \- honour go unaddressed. With that, she looks back at Hoshigaki with narrowed eyes, her voice level as she says, "Kirigakure already took part in the alliance that slaughtered my predecessors once before- I think you'll understand if I'm upset at the notion of you finishing that quest."

Hoshigaki takes just a second too long to reply- a barely noticeable difference, but Natsuki is far too aware of everything right now to let even the smallest detail slip. "You think I'm here to kill you, then?"

"I don't know what you're here for," She confesses, somehow maintaining the steadiness in her voice despite the fatigue slowly creeping up on her limbs. Her head is starting to feel light from all the blood she’s lost, yet she forces herself to remain steady. “But we both know that if you really wanted me dead, that's what I'd already be. So no- I don’t think that’s what you’re going to do."

There's a long pause, during which neither of them avert their gaze, gauging each other’s response. Tension is almost bleeding into the air- Hoshigaki never lowering his weapon, Natsuki gathering her chakra within her core in preparation for an attack, Kazuki’s muscles taut with anticipation. Neither of them make a move, however, and the chakra in the air is almost stagnant to her senses.

Then, Hoshigaki's grin slowly returns to his face, exhaling a soft huff before he finally looks away- and Natsuki quietly releases the breath she’d been holding. He then shifts his hold on his sword and hooks it back on the strap crossing over his back, Samehada settling against his back with surprisingly little fuss. The obvious gesture of non-aggression slowly unfurls a coil of worry that had been wound tight in her core, and Natsuki finds herself relaxing slightly despite her better judgement.

"Well, you're certainly not what I expected, Hagiwara-san."

His light-hearted, almost teasing response makes her exhale a short, surprised laugh. However, the moment of amusement quickly dissolves when the action jostles her wounds and turns her laughter into an abrupt hiss. Without the rush of adrenaline fuelling her, the pain is enough that it makes her vision go white around the edges, and when Natsuki doubles over and clutches her side she finds her shirt soaked in blood.

Goddammit. She’d almost forgotten about that.

"Shōko!" Kazuki only just manages to support her body as Natsuki drops to a knee, suddenly aware of how weak her limbs are and how tired she feels. The stress of battle, piled onto her earlier fatigues hits her all at once, and Natsuki shakily clutches at the hinges of Kazuki’s armour in alarm as she realises just how much blood she's lost. A low whine rumbles in the tiger’s throat as he takes note of her injury, and she can hear the tense underline of desperation in his voice as he asks, "Do you have enough chakra to heal yourself?"

"I don't know." The wounds are deep, and she's not sure how much it takes to actually heal even minor wounds. Her mom has warned her about the risks of using this technique, and death by chakra exhaustion isn't the way she wants to go out, but it's better than bleeding out in the middle of.... shit. Where even _are_ they?

Her vision is going hazy. This isn't good.

"That looks bad,” Hoshigaki comments- and suddenly Kazuki is growling again. Natsuki can only guess that the nuke-nin had tried to take a step towards her, and the summon had reacted unfavourably to the assumed threat. His movements are surprisingly quiet for such a large man- just more proof how deadly shinobi can be.

"Not another step."

"She's bleeding out. Unless you have a way to heal wounds like that, I'm the only one around here who can be of any help,” The Kiri-nin fires back, and Natsuki can _hear_ the scowl in his voice.

“And why would you ever want to aid us?”

“Listen, _cat_ -“ Before things escalate into a full-blown argument between the two _idiots_ who are ignoring the fact that she’s _dying_ , Natsuki interjects with a question directed at Hoshigaki.

"Do you have any soldier pills on you?" Her voice is weaker than she’d intended, but the cutting edge in her voice is enough to get both Kazuki and Hoshigaki to stop and listen to what she’s saying.

"Only the C-grade stuff,” Hoshigaki replies after a pause. C-grade... that sounds familiar. Natsuki vaguely remembers her grandfather explaining the shinobi medicines to her years ago- she's pretty sure S-grade productions are the high quality ones that could give a boost that lasts days, but she's not sure where C-grade products fall along the line. The lowest, maybe? Those were only good for small bursts, right?

"That'll be enough,” She coughs out, and Hoshigaki takes a knee as he removes the scroll attached to his hip. Natsuki slowly lowers herself to the forest floor while he unseals his equipment, and Kazuki appears conflicted as he hesitates between standing guard or sitting down so that she can lie against him. Petting his front shoulder, Natsuki waits for Kazuki to turn his gleaming eyes on her before she says, "Kazuki-san, it's okay. Please, I need those."

The tiger does not look pleased as his eyes flit between her and the missing-nin, who has already withdrawn a small package and is shaking out several of the round pills within. A rumble echoes deep in the confines of his chest- soft enough that Natsuki can only tell because of the gentle shudder running beneath her palm- before he finally, slowly settles on his haunches. He’s still positioned so that his front paws are between her and Hoshigaki, claws out and ready to attack at the slightest provocation, but Natsuki doesn’t comment on it. Instead, as Hoshigaki steps closer and drops the small, brown spheres into her shakily extended palm, she focuses on the task before her.

As soon as she bites down on the pills, Natsuki nearly gags at the horrible, almost rancid flavour that hits her tongue. Still, she forces down the reflex urge to spit them out, and swallows them with effort, already feeling a slight boost to her meagre reserves. Before she can linger upon the horrible taste on her tongue- and maybe gag again- Natsuki then raises her arm to her mouth and sinks her teeth into her flesh.

Next to her, she hears Hoshigaki's sharp inhale- clearly, he had expected her to pull out some sort of fancy medical jutsu instead of committing some strange form of self-cannibalism, but she doesn't stop to explain things. Instead, Natsuki closes her eyes and remains fixated upon the warm, almost liquid sensation flooding into her mouth as she pours her chakra into the wound, feeling the effects in her side almost immediately while the rest of her body stiffens in response to the drain.

Natsuki's only ever needed to use the Healing Bite once in her life, and that was when her mother had taught her how to use it on a small cut on her finger. The reason she doesn't rely on it for most of her injuries is simple- the process is _agonising_. Forceful chakra drainage in any form is uncomfortable in theory, but when it's literally being sucked out of her coils through a single, concentrated point? If she had to describe it, it feels like a very unpleasant blood donation with a hundred needles sticking into her skin, and instead of a mild discomfort, the drainage actually pulls against her blood vessels and _stretches_. The anime had failed to depict how the coils throughout the user's body literally turn blue-green beneath the skin when placed under the strain of a Healing Bite, and she can see the glow of her chakra pathways even past her closed eyelids.

Natsuki's teeth clamp down harder as she holds back her whimper, unable to do much else other than concentrate as her wounds patch up. Though she knows she's healing up faster than any other healing jutsu could manage, it still feels like an eternity before she feels the last bit of torn skin mend itself beneath her fingertips, and she gasps in relief as she finally releases her bite.

The wounds are closed- not quite fully healed, but the bleeding has stopped and that will do. Natsuki feels her entire body sag against Kazuki, her arms falling to her side as she leans back and closes her eyes. She's really, truly drained now, and if she wasn't so exhausted she feels like she would have leaned over and thrown up in the grass after how sick that bite had made her feel.

Gods, she would never complain about hangovers ever again.

"What the hell was _that_?"

Oh, right. There is that little bit about shared pain on their compasses now, isn't there? She feels bad now- first she gets shredded by a wind jutsu, and now this... she makes the worst soulmate.

"Sorry. Should have warned you." Even toned down, she can imagine the kind of pain that could ignite. Natsuki blinks, her eyelids feeling heavy as she struggles to look up at the towering shinobi. She gives up the effort halfway through, only catching a glimpse of his dark grey vest before her eyelids droop shut.

"Shōko, how are you feeling?" Kazuki asks. Natsuki hums, finding it difficult to even muster the strength to formulate a response.

"I'm okay. Tired." Beneath her, she can feel Kazuki shift slightly, and when he speaks again his voice has lost the softness from when he’d addressed her.

"Do you have any more of that medicine?"

"Wouldn't recommend it. Forcing in more chakra after exhaustion is risky, especially using the cheap stuff like this." Hoshigaki’s voice sounds almost distant to her ears, and she only just hears him over the sound of her own laboured breaths. Damn it, why can’t she keep her eyes open? "It doesn't look like there's anyone else in the area. It should be safe to rest for a while and recover."

"Thank you.” It takes Natsuki a moment to realise the words came from her, a rushed mumble that is quiet even to her own ears. There’s no response from either the tiger nor the shinobi for a moment, long enough that Natsuki almost thinks that her words had gone unheard until Hoshigaki finally speaks up.

"I didn't do anything worth thanking." Is that note of tension in his voice just her imagination? Natsuki squints again, and this time, her eyelids refuse to budge once they shut. She can feel herself falling asleep, but- no, she has to get home. She has to-

"Kazuki-san-"

"Rest for now, shōko.” Natsuki feels the pressure of a warm, slightly wet tongue lick against her cheek, and she doesn’t even have the energy to wrinkle her nose in distaste. Tiger tongues feel so weird. “I will carry you to safety."

Even if she doesn’t want to, Natsuki finds herself unable to do anything but nod. For one second, she has a brief moment of clarity wherein she wonders where she’d gone wrong in her life for her to end up collapsing in the presence of an S-rank missing-nin. In the next, there is nothing but darkness.

 

* * *

 

Kisame has no idea what he’d expected to find when he’d started following the needle of his compass, but it hadn’t been an Uzumaki survivor and her giant cat.

Hagiwara’s tiger had carried her far from the site of the earlier battle before settling down against the forest floor, hiding under the cover of shadows and nearby bushes- the whole time, Hagiwara herself hadn’t so much as twitched. From his vantage point amongst the trees, Kisame gets a good view of the surrounding area with ease- and it keeps him at a safe distance from Samehada's newest obsession, too. The legendary sword is generally well behaved when Kisame commands it to be, but during whatever strange jutsu Hagiwara had used, he’d actually been forced to retreat slightly when Samehada had started reacting to the outpouring of her chakra.

Whatever Samehada had managed to get a taste of from Hagiwara, it had _liked_ it. Enough that it still wants to get more, if the way its scales are shifting restlessly is any indication.

Kisame recalls the gripping pain from his mark the moment Hagiwara sank her teeth into her arm and started glowing blue, and absently rubs at his wrist. Whatever that healing jutsu was, he’s just glad she’s never had to use it like that up until this point- he’s only ever felt faint stings of pain on his compass, save for that one time over a year ago. If he’d been struck by something _this_ jarring in the middle of a battle, it probably would have cost him. He can see why the Uzumaki clan had been so feared by the other nations if they had such powerful techniques- and isn't that the most ironic thing out of this whole mess? His soulmate is a member of a dead clan that his village had played a part in exterminating. He may not have personally taken part in the attack that devastated Uzushiogakure, but in her eyes, he might as well be guilty enough by association. His little quip about those clan members he'd killed probably hadn't earned him any points in his favour, either.

Honestly, the way she’d reacted to that comment- steel in her dark eyes, her voice edged with ice that had meant to cut as she spat her retort- had been unexpected. There are many things about his soulmate that come as a surprise- but the fact is, he hadn't expected to find her quite so fast. It's easily been a year or more since he'd abandoned his village, throwing hunter-nin off his trail- Zabuza had been especially persistent for a while- before carefully tracing his steps back to the Land of Fire, where he remembers his compass slowing by just a fraction of a second the last time he'd been there during the war.

The only question is, now that he's found her... what comes next? He'd thought the answers would become obvious after he found the person at the end of his compass, believing that it would have taken years for him to pinpoint exactly where they were and that he'd have figured something out along the way. If not that, he’d thought- pathetically, _naively-_ that perhaps meeting his soulmate could point him in the right direction.

Instead, he's just as lost on what to do as he'd been before, only now he has a half-dead civilian- and not just any random civvie, but apparently the _heir to the leadership of Waves_ \- with an overprotective tiger to deal with.

If this is the gods' way of messing with him, they're doing an excellent job.

Kisame clicks his tongue as he leans his head against the trunk of the tree at his back. Almost by rote, he unbuckles the straps of his right arm-guard and removes the piece of leather, revealing the compass on his wrist. For the first time in his life, he sees the needle lying completely still on its face, pointing in the direction of the woman sleeping against the overgrown cat on the forest floor.

He remembers dreaming about this happening as a child, just before the reality of the Bloody Mist truly struck him and removed all such innocence from his days. The recollections of how he'd used to wish his compass would focus on one of the kids in his neighbourhood strike him as bizarre now- especially when his soulmate is so obviously _not_ Kiri-born in every sense of the word. The copper glow of her russet skin proudly displays her island heritage, instead of the cooler undertones more commonly seen amongst dwellers of the mist-covered village. Her flaming waves are brighter than any shade he's ever seen, and redder than even the Terumi clan's trademark burnt auburn locks. His soulmate is so completely _different_ from any imaginings his childhood self could conjure that it's laughable.

She's also still covered in drying blood, and despite knowing she had healed herself, a seed of worry is planted in Kisame's mind. Hagiwara is going to need to replenish her energy and make up for all the blood she's lost- there's no way she isn't going to be hungry when she wakes. Doing a quick mental review of his inventory, Kisame knows he's got a half-full container of water and a few packs of dried meat he'd managed to pick up from the last town he'd stopped by at, but it will hardly be enough. Chakra depletion leaves one ravenous, and he knows that from first-hand experience.

Kisame pulls himself to his feet, his mind already set on hunting around the area. His soulmate is going to need more than just a few scraps of food to recover, and he hasn't eaten in a while, either. Her summon should be able to guard her well enough in his absence, and even if he doesn’t know what those Yuga-nin were after, he doubts that they’re expecting reinforcements. That reminds him- he needs to get rid of those bodies, especially the one he'd used Samehada on. Wouldn't do to leave that enormous clue for the hunter-nin to catch onto- Zabuza would smell the sign from a mile away and latch onto the trail like a leech, the tenacious brat- and maybe those two could fetch a fair price at the bounty office.

The former Kiri-nin rolls his shoulder around in its socket, taking one last look at his slumbering soulmate and her feline companion- who is looking right at him with distrust; as he should- before taking off in the direction of the abandoned bodies. First, he'll clear up the mess, and then he'll look around these parts for game.

There are a lot of things for him to do before the sun rises- and with that thought in mind, Kisame decides that his concerns about the future can wait until later.  
  
Always, always later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yknow when i made the initial outline of this fic my only thought was “i suck at writing fight scenes and im going to avoid that at all costs”. So you can imagine how I feel looking at this 15k word doc and wondering if I have been condemned for my hubris.
> 
> Anyway, this quick update goes out to u readers for being absolute MVPs and supporting this wacky story! I know the timeskip seems jarring and there are a lot of unanswered questions, but i swear the discordance is intentional. The things that happened during the time between will be addressed in the coming chapters- I just wanted to keep a dose of suspense for Building Plot Drama™


	4. Rising

Natsuki wonders if Hiroki is beginning to regret teaching her how to conceal her chakra when she conveniently disappears from the household just before Kushina stopped by. Honestly, if it hadn't been for Tatsumi being willing to let her climb into his room and hide out there until she thought it was safe to go home, she doubts that her attempt at avoiding the kunoichi would have been quite so successful. However, it all ends on the second day she tries to do so, only to see Hiroki sitting at the table in Tatsumi’s room, legs crossed and a pleasant smile on his face while Tatsumi stares at her with a dozen apologies written in his horrified stare as she freezes on his windowsill. That ultimately marks the end of her brief escapades, though no amount of questioning from Hiroki and her parents will get her to spill the beans on why she's so adamant on not interacting with any of the Konoha nin, who are just here to help with repairs.

She can't tell them she looks at the team of genin and sees three dead kids walking. Kushina alone had been horrifying enough, but her two teammates had thrown her in for yet another loop. Mikoto Uchiha and Akihito Sarutobi are all of twelve years old and children in the face of a worldwide conflict brewing on the horizon, and what breaks Natsuki the most is the knowledge that at least two of these three children are going to live past the horrors of a war started by selfish people who are willing to let children fight their battles, only to die because of _other_ selfish people.

So Natsuki lets them think that she's been traumatised by the Mist-nin incident. Quietly accepts the looks of concern that her parents shoot her from across the table when Kushina joins them for dinner, and listens to the lively chatter of the young girl without really hearing what she's saying. Pretends not to notice the way Mikoto Uchiha - _a blade in the night, blood in the streets, a boy with a burden too heavy for his shoulders_ \- glances at her with a look that tells Natsuki that Kushina knows she's being weird around her and has clearly mentioned it to her friends.

The week that the Konoha team spends on the island takes far too long to pass, and by the seventh day Natsuki can _feel_ the cracks in her composure. Kushina has not made her attempt at distance easy- it’s as if the girl had taken her stoicism as some sort of slight, and made it her personal mission to chip away at her resolve until she crumbles. She’s surprisingly subtle for someone who’s, well, going to be the mother of the loudest shinobi this side of the Continent. Sitting next to her at the dinner table, deliberately trying to get her in on the conversation with small questions, constantly wearing that broad, sunny smile of hers- that last one might have just been Kushina being Kushina, though. Regardless, the girl has been trying her absolute best to connect with her, and Natsuki is getting tired of deflecting every single time. It’s almost a relief that she’s leaving tomorrow- though from the way Kushina had talked about visiting her newfound surviving family during dinner on the last night, Natsuki might be seeing more of her sooner than she would like.

Goddamn it.  
  
"Uhm…” Natsuki doesn’t budge from where she’s lying against the roof of the Ōnami’s residence, merely canting her head slightly so that her eyes can slide towards the kunoichi she’d sensed climbing out the window closest to the plateau on the roof. It takes a lot of energy not to sigh at the sight of Kushina standing here, the night sky a stark contrast to her vivid hair- her presence here had no doubt been encouraged by Hiroki, the persistent fox- but the girl seems at least a little aware of her disdain as she grins at her and waves, with just the slightest tremble of hesitation in her chakra. "Hey there, Natsuki-chan!"  
  
"Hi." Natsuki stares at the eleven-year-old blankly, the silence between them lingering long enough for Kushina to start physically squirming slightly. The dismayed look in those wide, amethyst eyes is enough to make Natsuki wince, so she turns her head and goes back to staring at the stars as she mumbles, "You can sit down over here, if you want."  
  
"Oh, great!" The hopeful leap in her chakra almost physically hurts, but Natsuki keeps her eyes on the constellations she’s trying to map out as she feels Kushina splay out next to her, a weary sigh on her lips. "Man, I'm so tired. Who knew moving around construction materials could take up so much energy?"  
  
"It's a lot easier thanks to you guys. Everyone's really grateful for the help,” Natsuki murmurs. It’s almost hilarious how much they’d managed to get done with the help of three genin and their sensei, and Natsuki can’t help but marvel at the sheer disparity in human capability between regular folk and trained ninja.  
  
"Ninja skills are awesome like that." Natsuki almost grimaces at the blind awe in Kushina’s words, but refrains- she isn’t going to comment on the complexities of the existence of shinobi techniques to an indoctrinated genin. "Maybe you could become one someday, too."  
  
Now, _that_ suggestion makes Natsuki frown. "I'll pass."  
  
"Why not?" Kushina sounds completely aghast, as if she can’t fathom the idea of kids not wanting to be turned into super-powered heroes- who just happen to double as war machines, no biggie. "Being a ninja is the coolest!"  
  
"I don't mind learning jutsu, I just don't want to be a ninja."  
  
"But, that..." Kushina’s voice trails off as she struggles to find a suitable comeback against that, and Natsuki can see her waving her arms around as she tries to articulate her thoughts. "That's like eating ramen without drinking the broth- you're not getting the full flavour!"  
  
"It’s just a rank." Natsuki watches as a shooting star darts across the sky, leaving a fleeting, silvery trail against the void of the night sky. The hard neutrality in her voice softens somewhat as she says, "I just want to be able to take care of my family."

There’s a moment of silence. And then Kushina murmurs, in a voice more subdued than anything Natsuki’s heard her use before, "That’s a good dream. I think I’d like to be able to do that, too.”

Despite her best efforts, Natsuki’s hands curl into fists from where they cross over her chest. Not just at the tragic irony that Kushina doesn’t realise will someday permeate her statement- but at the irrational anger, the sheer rage she feels at the gods that put her here _and_ the fact that Natsuki knows that she wants to care for this girl and welcome her into her family the way she deserves. That she wants to talk to her and be able to understand the world through her eyes, and ask her a million questions about both her villages, and- and she _can’t_ , because the moment she starts to care, she will care that this girl _dies_. Her willingness to let the future play out as it should, the guaranteed fate wherein everything does ultimately turn out okay- how could she risk that just to comfort one child, who already has her grandfather and mom’s unconditional welcome as their own?

"You know, I was really surprised to see you and Hiroki-jiichan when I got here. I thought I'd never see another clan member again after-" Kushina’s whispering voice wavers slightly, and Natsuki pretends not to hear it as she coughs before continuing on, forced cheer in her voice. "And then I end up meeting three of you. Crazy, right? I should have known the Uzumaki wouldn't be so easily taken down! I- I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see someone in my life."

Natsuki glances over at Kushina from the corner of her eye- and that’s the moment she will come to regret in the years to come. Because when she looks at the brilliant, boisterous kunoichi with a smile that could light up a room and sees the tears she’s trying to blink back in her eyes, she _caves_.  
  
"Did you ever get to see it?" Kushina startles at her question, turning those wide, wonder-filled eyes on her. Undeterred, Natsuki elaborates, "Uzushiogakure. Do you remember what it was like?"  
  
Kushina takes a moment to ponder the question- and to maybe get over the shock of Natsuki actually reciprocating in a conversation instead of letting her ramble on. "Only a bit. It was destroyed when I was still really young." Kushina bites her lip for a moment, hesitating. "Mito-shishou was heartbroken when she found out. No one else got into contact with us after the destruction, so we thought we were the last of our clan."  
  
Natsuki drops her gaze, feeling a wave of shame wash over her. "I'm sorry. It must have been painful."  
  
"It was." Kushina’s voice gains that forced cheer again as she grins at her, and for once, Natsuki doesn’t look away when she does. "But we're alive, and we found each other, didn't we? So it all worked out in the end!"  
  
It’s hard not to retort with bitterness at the blatant falsehood in that statement- after all, a whole country was still destroyed, all because others feared the power her citizens possessed. But Kushina is just a kid, and she’s just trying to make things seem better for a child who, as far as she knows, is much younger than herself. Natsuki couldn't fault her for that.  
  
"I wish I could have seen it,” Natsuki confesses, her voice solemn in contrast to Kushina’s. She looks back at the stars, wondering if perhaps if she’d born in a different time, she could have seen this sky in a different land, surrounded by whirlpools and others with hair like fire and magic in their blood. "Kaa-san and Jii-chan always talk about it like it was the most beautiful place in the world."

Kushina hums in agreement, the tone of her own voice lowering to match Natsuki’s. "I only recall bits and pieces, but what I remember the most is how nice everyone was. Whether it was the shopkeepers, or the market ladies, and the other shinobi... everyone always greeted me with a smile. It was like we were all one big family."  
  
Natsuki can’t help but wonder what that would have been like. "I wish it was like that here."  
  
"Me too." Kushina giggles shortly, but there is none of the joy and genuinity that Natsuki has come to know from her vibrant laughter. "It's weird, isn't it? I've been in Konoha for so long, and it's nice that I have people like Mikoto-chan, Akihito-kun, and Shinku-sensei around, but..."  
  
"It's not home,” Natsuki finishes for her when Kushina trails off, unwilling to give voice to the sentiment. Her fingers curl tighter against the inside of her elbows again, this time for different reasons than before. "Yeah, I get what that’s like."  
  
"Weren't you born here in Waves?" Natsuki tenses at Kushina’s curious question, realising her little slip-up just a second too late.  
  
"Yeah, but..." Natsuki hesitates, trying to put her feelings into words without giving away too much. "I just- I feel like there was someplace where I once belonged, and it's not really here. Sometimes I feel like an outsider in my own skin, or some kind of impostor who's taken someone else's place." A harsh exhale leaves her nose, and Natsuki glances away as she finds herself struggling to articulate what she wants to say. "It's hard to explain."

Kushina is quiet for a moment, and when she speaks again, her voice is soft, sympathetic. “It makes you feel bad too, doesn’t it? Knowing that you have people who care about you here, and still feeling out of place. It doesn’t feel fair- to them, or to you.”  
  
"...Yeah.” Natsuki croaks out, feeling the rebellious sting of tears behind her eyes despite her best attempts. She closes her eyes for a moment, knowing that while Kushina and her may speak of feeling the same general way, they will never truly understand the depth of each other’s situations. “Yeah, it does.”

Silence falls between them again- this time, it stretches out for a good few minutes as they stare up at the faraway lights against the darkness of night. When Kushina opens her mouth to speak, Natsuki finds that the interruption is… welcome, instead of a grievance like it had been before. "Do you think there are others like us out there? If your family survived, then surely..."  
  
"I know there are,” Natsuki says with certainty- and this she can say with absolute faith, with or without her knowledge of the universe that she possesses. It is strange, to feel connected to this clan and culture that she's only ever heard of and will never truly know- but she has seen the love in her mom’s eyes when she spoke of the home she'd grown up in, the pride in Hiroki’s expression when he'd shown her the coming-of-age tattoos on his shoulders for the first time. It is in blood that the Uzumaki’s strength had been founded, and it is in blood that it will live on. "We're Uzumaki. We were built to persevere."

Kushina turns to look at her again, and this time, Natsuki turns to face her as well, almost embarrassed by the awe in the kunoichi’s eyes. When she speaks, there's a note of wonder in her voice- as though she's come to realise something she hadn't before. "You know, you're kind of a weird kid, Natsuki-chan."

Now, Natsuki knows very well that Kushina had meant her statement in good faith, but that doesn't stop her from widening her eyes and putting on a look of fake-hurt on her face, letting her lower lip tremble for further effect. Kushina’s own eyes widen in shock as she realises what she said, and she begins to sputter at the look on Natsuki’s face. "B-but, I meant that in a good way! I don't think you're _weird_ weird- I don't think you're weird at all! I just-”  
  
"I know what you meant." Natsuki lets the act drop in favour of snickering at the distress on the older girl's face, and Kushina's sun-kissed complexion turns almost as red as her hair as she blushes in indignation. Her expression shifts through embarrassment and outrage before settling on a sly grin, and Natsuki doesn't get the chance to react before Kushina suddenly has her arm hooked over her neck, a yelp of surprise leaving escaping her as she's pulled into the headlock.  
  
"You are the most evil little kid I've ever met!" Kushina mercilessly introduces Natsuki's scalp to her knuckles, giving her the most vicious noogie of both her lifetimes. All Natsuki can do is squeak and flail helplessly in response, despite the laughter still vibrating deep in her chest. "You actually had your Nee-san worried there, you know!"  
  
Natsuki pauses at that, caught off-guard by the declaration. Absently, she echoes, "’Nee-san’?"  
  
Almost immediately, Kushina releases her from her chokehold, and when Natsuki looks up at her, there's a look of something akin to shame on Kushina's face. Her eyes dart all over the place as she fumbles for words, twisting the ends of her hair between her fingers and suddenly sounding much more nervous than she did before. "I-I mean... I just thought, well, since I'm older than you, and there's the whole thing with being from the same clan..." Kushina shakes her head, a clearly forced laugh pouring forth from her lips as she says, "Actually, you know what, just forget it. That was really-"  
  
"Kushina-nee," Natsuki interrupts, and the older girl's eyes widen in surprise as her gaze focuses on her again. With a soft smile, Natsuki says, "It's fine, seriously. I don't mind at all."  
  
Kushina doesn't say anything to that- whether out of embarrassment or shock, Natsuki can't tell as the girl suddenly looks away and tries to hide the flush of colour on her face. The faint spread of pink over Kushina's cheeks as she shyly glances at her and away again only serve to make her look all the more becoming, and Natsuki realises then just how devastatingly beautiful this girl is going to be in a few more years. Without quite meaning to, Natsuki’s gaze falls on the spinning compass on Kushina's wrist, and feels a pit of dismay opening up in her stomach when she thinks of the boy it connects to, who Kushina speaks of with nothing but indifference at the dinner table. Too soon, this girl's life will flourish with brilliant joy that will fade away far too _soon-_ but this moment of comfort; a reassurance of family in this wide, lonely world is something she can afford to give.  
  
Natsuki's handled loss before. She... she will be fine, when the inevitable happens. She's an adult, no matter what her her physicality suggests, and the least she can do is allow a little more joy into the life of a girl who is just that.  
  
To the eyes of any onlooker, this moment is just one of an innocent, unspoken bond formed by two children, a fleeting moment that will come to be overshadowed by all the brighter moments and joys of friendship to come. But even as the years pass by- through the war and pain and grief- neither of the two redheaded girls will come to forget that night, where they sat together under the same star-scattered sky and dreamed of home.

  
  
*******

  
  
It's daylight again when Natsuki finally opens her eyes, her head feeling like it's been stuffed with wool while the rest of her body weighs her down like a giant block of lead. She can feel her hair sticking to one side of her face as she reaches up- with tremendous effort- to rub the sleep from her eyes, only to stop short when she notices the crusty, brownish-red stains on her hands.  
  
That's when Natsuki fully comes to and realises two things. One, she's actually woken up peacefully- not shaken awake by a nightmare or by a healthy dunking of water over her head. Two, these unfamiliar trees and the fact that she's lying against Kazuki, who purrs lowly as he notices her stirring, means that all the things that went down after her kidnapping- that all _actually happened._  
  
Natsuki remains lying there for a moment, just slowly processing all of the things that she'd been too busy to think about in the midst of trying to stay alive. Slowly lifting her left hand, she stares at her soul mark with deadened eyes, watching as it hovers- yep, just as her chakra sense tells her- southwards at the ninja lounging in the branches of a nearby tree. He's keeping his chakra under wraps- not outright trying to conceal his presence, but definitely relaxing enough that he isn't letting it circulate at full capacity.  
  
Natsuki briefly contemplates the benefits of shouting at the moon and challenging whatever alien god or higher being that exists out there to just come down here and kill her themselves, but decides against it. She's given both Kazuki and her s- Hoshigaki enough to worry about for a while, and with that thought in mind, Natsuki pushes herself into a sitting position with great slowness, groaning quietly at the cricks she feels in her back and neck. Her arms feel like they've turned to jelly from that one action, and she knows better than to even think about trying to get on her feet right now.  
  
"Shōko, how are you feeling?" The tiger by her side is quick to voice his own concerns, and Natsuki's gaze softens as she turns towards her feline companion.  
  
"Horrible." The sound of her hoarse, dry words is enough to make both of them wince, and Natsuki rubs at her throat as if that would do anything to alleviate the rasp in her voice. Instead of trying to continue the conversation verbally, she just puts a hand atop the tiger's head and presses her forehead against Kazuki's, feeling him relax against her as she does so. She hopes that her gratitude is obvious in the gesture - _thank you, I wouldn't still be alive if not for you, you saved me_ \- and from the way he purrs gently in response, it seems he understands.  
  
"I swore to Hiroki-sama that I would keep you safe. I don't intend to go back on my word." The mere mention of her grandfather's name makes the back of Natsuki's eyes burn, and she closes her eyes briefly as she pulls away, forcing herself to hold it together.  
  
"Well, thanks, old man." Her teasing, raspy whisper makes Kazuki roll his eyes. Though the exchange seems friendly enough, Natsuki doesn't miss the fact that his claws are still out, nor the way that his chakra, heavy though it is with exhaustion, is still circling his coils tensely. Her eyes dart back in the direction of Hoshigaki’s signature, glancing at her compass again just to be sure, and Natsuki wonders what she should be feeling. Fear, maybe- but the fact that she even woke up at all tells her that she'd been right when she said that Hoshigaki isn't here to kill her.  
  
"The Mist roach left you supplies." Natsuki is taken by surprise at first when Kazuki gestures to the scroll near her feet, as well as the water canteen there that she'd somehow missed. However, the confusion at the notion quickly passes in favour of disbelief, and Natsuki shoots Kazuki a heavy, disapproving look when she notes his choice of words. He'd deliberately said that in the common tongue, and Natsuki has no illusions that it isn't because he'd wanted Hoshigaki to hear him clearly.  
  
The tiger just turns his head away, tail flicking around behind him in a gesture of defiance, and Natsuki sighs. The adult tiger can be incredibly obstinate- maybe that's why her mom can't quite get along with him- but she doesn't have the energy to care enough to tell him to behave. Instead, Natsuki focuses her efforts on shifting her sitting position so that she can actually grab the water canteen on the ground, absently noting how beaten up the container is. Just as she opens the lid and is about to take a drink, Kazuki chimes in again.  
  
"Check for poison, shōko." This time, Natsuki makes sure the look she shoots him oozes reproach. He has a point about caution, but does he really think a man like Hoshigaki is going to try and kill her with _poison_? With a scowl, Kazuki merely defends, "He's shinobi. We can't trust him."  
  
There's a brief shudder of amusement from Hoshigaki's chakra, and Natsuki wonders if he's holding back a laugh. That quickly changes to a slight spike of surprise, however, when Natsuki just looks Kazuki dead in the eye while she takes a long swig from the canteen, holding his gaze despite the unimpressed look on his face. Gods, water has never tasted so _good_.  
  
When she finally lowers the bottle, Natsuki says, in a voice that sounds much better than before, "It's clean."  
  
"That was foolish."  
  
"If he was going to kill me, I doubt it would be by leaving a poisoned care package." Were he any other run of the mill shinobi, Natsuki might not have been so sure. But she remembers snippets of what transpired last night, the lack of aggression from Hoshigaki and how he'd been willing to help her even when he had no such obligation. The least she can do is show that she's willing to trust him enough not to be wary of the assistance he's given her.  
  
Besides, this man- even if he's perhaps not yet the Akatsuki member from a different timeline- has the power to create literal oceans on a whim. If water is the medium he’d use to kill her, it would certainly not be through something as merciful as poison.  
  
"I appreciate you giving us space, by the way- but you don't have to stay up there," Natsuki calls out, turning her head slightly so that her voice carries over her shoulder. She feels his chakra jump in surprise at her call, and Natsuki can't help the slight quirk that tugs at the corner of her lips. She isn't certain why she's being so calm about all of this, but she attributes it to the relief of still being alive and just the lack of proper cognitive function so soon after waking up. "I'm not sure how comfortable trees are, but I'd think that solid ground would be a more favourable option."  
  
"Shōko," Kazuki warns, but Natsuki ignores his glare in favour of spilling some of the water on her hands.  
  
"He's already here. What difference is it going to make if he's up there or down here?" She retorts, rubbing off some of the old blood clinging to her fingers. In the perimeter of her senses, she feels Hoshigaki's signature recede slightly before it shifts from atop the trees to the ground- all without the shinobi himself making a sound. Kazuki has already turned to look at him as he approaches, but Natsuki busies herself with cleaning her hands and frowning as she examines her shredded and blood stained shirt. Goddammit- this had been a present from Tsunami.  
  
"You're a sensor," Hoshigaki observes- how astute of him. His tone seems light, but his chakra is now carefully composed- looks like she won't be getting any easy reads into his emotions anymore. "There anything you Uzumaki can't do?"  
  
"Recover chakra overnight, it would seem," Natsuki replies, evaluating the meagre flow of energy in her own reserves. Right as she says that, she feels her stomach grumble with an incessant demand for food, and she quickly clutches at it to smother the sound. Unfortunately, it would seem that shinobi have very, very good ears.  
  
"There's food in that scroll. Hope you're not a vegetarian.” There’s an underline of amusement to Hoshigaki’s words, but Natsuki merely finds herself blinking in surprise. She hadn't… well, she hadn't really believed it when she said that Hoshigaki had left her a care package. She'd meant it as a joke- she didn't actually think he'd be willing to let her have a go at his supplies.

Cautiously reaching for the storage scroll, Natsuki unfurls the parchment while Hoshigaki settles himself against a tree opposite of where she and Kazuki are lounging. Reading the symbols marking the centre of each storage compartment, Natsuki’s eyebrows almost touch her hairline as she confirms that this scroll was meant exclusively for storing food items and perishables. This isn't an everyday food scroll either- the cheap ones usually come with only one compartment with a limited capacity, but that's not the only difference.

“Never used a food storage scroll before?” Hoshigaki asks, sounding almost sarcastic. However, Natsuki barely shoots him a glance as she trails a finger along the branches of commands.

“I've never gotten the chance to see the Kaguya style of sealing in action.” Her eyes roam over each visible character, marvelling at how many separate branches the seals employ- so unlike the spiralling, closed-ended lines of the Uzumaki sealing style she's grown accustomed to. “It's amazing how they get these to work. They draw in external chakra and deploy more converting hexagrams instead of-”

Natsuki stops short, suddenly remembering that this is an _S-rank missing-nin_ she's talking to, and that she really shouldn't be rambling about the different styles of fuinjutsu right now. A glance at the shinobi across from her only shows her that he's taken to staring at her with nothing but a lift of an eyebrow, and Natsuki carefully composes herself as she looks back at the scroll and places a hand over one of the occupied compartments. Using a slight pulse of chakra- _that really shouldn’t hurt the way it does_ \- she releases the opening on the seal to reveal its contents- and can only stare at the small assortment of what she can only describe as roasted, almost burnt game lying out on the parchment.

Natsuki reaches for one of the pieces of meat- some small land mammal, though what exactly she isn't sure- confirming that these had been recently cooked and were still hot after being sealed right away. She looks back at Hoshigaki, who is still watching her without any show of emotion, and finds herself feeling utterly stupefied.  
  
"You went out and hunted all of this?" She asks, barely keeping her scepticism out of her voice. Hoshigaki just shrugs, the movement making the giant sword on his back shift slightly along with the shoulder strap it's attached to.  
  
"Well, your little friend here certainly wasn't going to do it." There's a glimpse of sharpened teeth as Hoshigaki’s lips are pulled into a slightly lopsided smirk, and Natsuki feels the growl rumbling in Kazuki’s chest at the slight. However, before the two can get into an argument, Natsuki looks Hoshigaki in the eye and speaks first.  
  
"Thank you." The shinobi stills for a moment at her expression of gratitude, his smile faltering slightly.  
  
"I already said before- you don't have anything to thank me for." He did? Natsuki tries to recall such a thing happening, but after her stunt with the Healing Bite, she can't really remember what happened after. She looks at the food laid out on the scroll again- if he's denying her gratitude, then is it really okay for her to just… dig in? She's really starting to feel the meals she'd missed, but...

“Can I really eat some of this?”

Hoshigaki looks at her like he thinks very little of her intellect. “You lost a lot of blood on top of exhausting your chakra. You need to replenish your energy somehow.”

“I mean… alright,” Natsuki replies hesitantly, not quite understanding the contradiction in the missing-nin’s words. Still, she reaches for the hunk of meat that she'd poked at earlier, and when Hoshigaki doesn't make a move to stop her or intervene, she brings it to her lips and takes a bite. The meat is flavourless and a little hard to chew with how dry it is- but it's _food_ , and Natsuki finds herself chewing faster and barely maintaining any form of manners as she goes to town on Hoshigaki’s supplies.

She doesn't really stop to think about the fact that she's literally eating casually in front of the man they'd called the Tail-less Beast in another lifetime. Natsuki would later find out that one of the symptoms of chakra exhaustion is lower situational awareness.  
  
"I didn't hunt enough for your pet, by the way. He's going to have to figure out something on his own,” Hoshigaki interrupts as she finishes cleaning off her second helping, and Natsuki’s gaze sharpens as she looks at him.

“He's not a pet,” She is quick to defend, which only serves to make Hoshigaki’s lip quirk again. However, she does take his words into account, and so she turns towards her tiger with concern, holding out the last of the cooked game pieces to him. "Kazuki-san, I know you're hungry too.”  
  
"I'm fine." He looks at the meat she's handing out to him- some sort of bird, from what she can tell- with apprehension, clearly still not keen on sharing anything from the Kiri-nin in any way. There's a gleam of hunger in those eyes, however, and Natsuki can feel the twinge of his chakra in response.  
  
"Meiko and Keiko can't even go a few hours without having to eat.” She nudges the armour of his shoulder with her elbow, shooting at him a look that tells him she’s far too familiar with the capabilities of his kind and she’s not going to fall for any half-assed excuses he makes. "Go and hunt if you have to. Find some water while you're at it."  
  
"There's a pond northeast of here." Hoshigaki adds, much to Natsuki’s surprise. However, there’s a slight grin on his face again when he says, "Just try not to spook anyone who might be there at this time. Don't think the local farmers will appreciate seeing you around these parts."  
  
Kazuki bares his teeth, and is probably about to say something equally snide when Natsuki places her free hand against his neck. "Kazuki-san, you need to recover, too. Go, I'll be fine."

Aureate eyes turn on her with wavering determination, and Natsuki can almost see the war between loyalty and basic survival instincts in their depths. "I'm not leaving you alone." _Not with him_ goes unsaid, but it's unnecessary. She already knows what he means, and she doesn't like the idea either- but she doesn't have enough chakra to summon another tiger yet, and there's no point to Kazuki being here if he lets himself starve.

With a small, yet confident smile plastered on her face that exudes a surety that she doesn't really feel, Natsuki says, "If he wanted me dead, that's what I'd already be. I'll be okay, Kazuki-san- you go and do what you need to."

The tiger scrutinises her closely, intelligent eyes scanning her every feature for even the slightest hesitation. If he sees any weakness in her resolve, Natsuki knows he'll stay- but she won't let that come to pass, and so she wears her mask of composure with forced ease, not letting any of the doubt festering in her mind show through. Kazuki doesn't move for a long time, enough that Natsuki starts to wonder if he really does intend on letting himself wither away just so she won't be alone- but then he gets to his feet, and his eyes turn on the Kiri-nin opposite of them with defiance.

Kazuki’s tail swishes again, and Natsuki senses as he gathers his chakra at the tip of the appendage. Before she can protest, Kazuki lowers his tail to the ground, and black ink spreads out in a spiral from the point of contact, hundreds of different commands branching out before they flare upon activation. Natsuki only barely notices the way Hoshigaki reaches for his sword and grabs the hilt in alarm, so focused on the surge of chakra that Kazuki really shouldn't be expending, and by the time she recognises the symbols there's a dome of blue light encompassing her, stretching out from every branch of ink placed on the ground.  
  
Kazuki's put up a barrier seal. Natsuki keeps her expression completely flat as she looks at the tiger, hoping her face expresses the 'are you kidding me' that she won't waste words on.  
  
"I will be quick,” Is all he says in response, casting another lingering glare at Hoshigaki before he swipes the meat from Natsuki’s hands and stalks off into the forest. She tries not to sigh aloud- the foolish wildcat is running on low as is, and he’d wasted more of his strength on a barrier that she knows Hoshigaki could tear through with almost his bare hands if he wanted to. That sword of his could probably eat through chakra shields like they’re nothing. Glancing at said missing-nin, Natsuki takes a slow sip from the water canteen before she speaks.  
  
"Sorry about that. Kazuki-san can be... somewhat paranoid."  
  
"I'd say he's making a smart choice. One line of security is better than none." Hoshigaki has released his hold on Samehada, and his arms have settled on crossing over his chest as he speaks, sounding distinctly unimpressed. "You let your guard down too easily. Without your tiger, you're powerless right now- it's the perfect opening for me to exploit."  
  
"If you wanted to, yes." Natsuki concedes, idly gesturing with the water container. "But you didn't attack us in the night, and you didn't poison the water you gave me. I trust that your intentions are safe enough."  
  
Hoshigaki’s lips twitch into a mirthless smirk. "I might have been waiting for your tiger to leave. Less hassle that way."  
  
"Maybe- but if that were the case, then why are we still talking?" Hoshigaki doesn't respond to that, and that's when Natsuki confirms- without any doubt now- that he really doesn't intend on causing her any harm. As for why exactly that is- she's no closer to figuring that out from, but seeing as how she'd already prodded at the elephant in the room, Natsuki decides to try her luck again.  
  
"Could I ask you a question?" She begins slowly, and when Hoshigaki doesn't say anything to dissuade her, she continues. "How exactly did you manage to find me here? Kiri is a long way from the Land of Fire."

There's a gleam of caution in those mirror-like eyes, even as Hoshigaki’s lips curl into his habitual grin. In a tone underlined with sarcasm, he gestures to his slashed hitai-ate and says, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm on the run. It just so happened that I was already in the Land of Rivers when your ninja friends decided to try and carry you across the border."

Natsuki latches onto the piece of information he'd let slip with a frown. "We're in River territory?" That’s further from home than she’d like to be.  
  
"Almost. You stopped short of the border." He lifts a shoulder in a half shrug, as if he’s indifferent about this whole situation- Natsuki feels herself relaxing slightly at the small consolation. Lifting his right hand, Hoshigaki gestures at his wrist- it’s bare now compared to his left hand, she notices with faint interest-  and says, "Didn't expect to see the thing actually succeed in pointing somewhere for once. I got curious, so I followed it."  
  
This time, it’s her turn to be sceptical. "So, you were just… here by chance?” Hoshigaki nods, but it does little to dissuade Natsuki’s doubt.  
  
"Good thing, I'd say. Who knows where you'd be by now if I'd been somewhere else."  
  
"The Land of Sound,” She replies bluntly, earning a raised eyebrow from the missing-nin. Leaning her chin against her hand, she thinks back on the words she’d heard her captors exchanging, and elaborates, "They mentioned the name sometime after I woke up. Something about sneaking in, and providing intel to someone." Natsuki carefully avoids mentioning Orochimaru’s name- she remembers that the Snake Sannin had been part of Akatsuki at some point, and she isn’t keen on letting a potential member of said organisation know that his ally might want her in his grasp.

Hell if she knows whether Hoshigaki is one of them yet though- or whether she’s somehow messed that up, too. Soulmate bullshit aside, she remembers the news of Rain Country’s latest changes in leadership being spoken about amongst the traders not long after the war, and if that’s any indication...  
  
"Why bother with kidnapping you, then?" Hoshigaki’s question merely earns a shrug from Natsuki. She hesitates on divulging any real information to him, but this man still saved her life, and she owes him at least a bit of leeway with her trust- this is all speculation anyway, and she needs an outlet for her thoughts.  
  
"I was supposed to be the bargaining chip. They thought trading me in for my bloodline would get them a place of favour."  
  
"So how'd they know where to find an Uzumaki like you?" And that’s the golden question- one Natsuki has been wondering about, herself. Her fingers drum against her lips as she tries to remember the Yuga-nin’s conversation- there hadn’t been another name, and what they did drop doesn’t quite narrow down the list, but it’s enough for an outline.  
  
"The person who hired them tipped them off about my heritage,” She starts slowly, recalling the frantic tone of her captors as they argued about the validity of their information. The fact that they’d even taken on this quest without added insurance from their captor only proves that they had been desperate- but what exactly had motivated that desperation, she can’t say. "I'd be inclined to say it was someone who's displeased with how I'm running things, but no one back home holds enough power to carry weight with the likes of shinobi. These guys seemed wary of whoever hired them.”

The Kiri-nin exhales a chuff of laughter, though it lacks any real mirth. "Looks like you've made some dangerous enemies, Hagiwara-san."  
  
"Just what I need," she mutters. Her only consolation is a bare one- and that’s the fact that it’s unlikely that anyone close to her had been the ones to divulge the information. Her kidnappers hadn’t seemed to have expected her to be capable of escape, which means they likely hadn’t been informed of her abilities- of which only a select few know of. They would have taken extra precautions with keeping her under proper monitoring if they’d taken her for anything more than a harmless civilian, and she probably wouldn’t have been able to escape her bindings in the first place if they had.  
  
Without quite meaning to, Natsuki's hands drift to her side, where she can still remember feeling her fingers almost slip into the deep cuts on her flesh. The light blue fabric is ripped where the wind jutsu had hit her, edges stiff and crusting with her dried blood. The shirt is almost covered in more red than blue, and she frowns as she lifts the tattered fabric away to properly take a look at the remnants of her injuries for the first time.  
  
Dozens of faint ridges litter her skin, some wider and longer than the others where the wind blades had truly cut deep. Looking at it now, Natsuki marvels at the potency of her healing as she runs a finger along the most vivid of the scars- it's almost an inch wide, and it trails from almost the centre of her stomach along her waist and back. All things considered, these look like they've been healed over for _months_ , and not like near-fatal injuries she'd received less than a day ago. The Healing Bite may be one of the worst jutsu she's ever used, but there's certainly no doubting its efficiency- if she'd had enough chakra to use it properly, she's certain she could have even gotten rid of the scars, too.  
  
There's the sound of someone clearing their throat, and Natsuki looks up to see Hoshigaki glancing at the treeline- and pointedly not looking at her to do so. "At least it doesn't look like you're still being pursued. From here, it's slightly over a day at a civilian pace back to Waves- might take longer in your condition, depending on whether or not your tiger's willing to carry you."  
  
Belatedly realising that she'd unintentionally flashed an S-rank missing-nin, Natsuki carefully keeps a blush from forming on her face while she lowers her shirt back onto her body. She'd really only exposed her stomach, but the fact that he'd been courteous enough to look away though, is… a pleasant surprise.  
  
"I'd rather be back as soon as possible. It's likely that Ōnami's already declared a nationwide search, and the police have probably sent units to the nearest docks to try and find my trail." Her mom would probably spearhead the search party herself, and Natsuki absently rubs her wrist in worry. She knows how paranoid Kaoru can be regarding her safety, and she probably hasn't stopped to rest since being alerted of her disappearance.  
  
There's also another thing to worry about.  
  
"And…” Natsuki bites her lip, hesitant as to whether or not she should give voice to her concerns. But this might concern Hoshigaki, especially as a missing-nin from a foreign land, and he deserves to at least be warned about this. "This is just conjecture, but my mother might have sent a missive to Konoha about my kidnapping. I'd rather like to avoid having the country spend money on hiring shinobi to find me when it's unnecessary."  
  
There’s a pressure in the brief silence that hadn’t been there before. "Your country is on good enough terms with Konoha to call this to their attention?"  
  
"It's the closest of all the Hidden Villages. It was a relationship born out of necessity,” Natsuki explains, carefully watching Hoshigaki for any change in his reaction. He’s doing the same, evaluating her for any indication that this is some sort of backhanded threat or something else- but Natsuki has no hidden intentions, and she tries to make that obvious in the relaxation of her posture. Whatever Hoshigaki deduces from her response, it’s apparently enough for him to reach towards the equipment pouch around his waist- Natsuki is careful not to flinch at the action- and withdraw two black scrolls before tossing them towards her.

“You'll need these, then.” Natsuki instinctively reaches to catch the two scrolls only to watch them bounce off the barrier, and she shoots the chakra construct a dry look as she reaches for the rolled up pieces of parchment. She’s never seen a corpse scroll before- there's never been a need to- but when she opens one of the sheets and notes the character for ‘body’ written in the centre of the seal, it confirms her theory. Natsuki glances at Hoshigaki again, surprise and confusion undoubtedly written all over her face, but he stares back without so much as a twitch. These wouldn't happen to be...

“I was going to turn them in to the bounty office, but if Konoha is getting involved, it's not worth the hassle.”

Natsuki isn't sure what to say to that. He'd cleaned up the mess, and on top of that, he's giving the bodies to her to hand over to the authorities? Sure, it would be invaluable to have such evidence on hand, especially since they may be able to identify the perpetrators, but… he didn't have to do all this.

“Thank you,” she says- and she means it. Hoshigaki’s face twitches strangely again, but otherwise he doesn’t acknowledge her words- clearly still adamant in his belief that she has nothing to be grateful to him for.  
  
"It's unlikely you could make it back in the same time it took your kidnappers to get here, but your tiger should be faster than you trying to walk in your condition." Despite the obvious change in topic, Natsuki actually pauses to consider his words.

They’re near the border to Rivers, but the specifics are unknown to her. She doesn’t know the map of the Continent well enough to place any of the smaller landmarks, and Hiroki’s too young to have been active during any of the battles that Uzushio shinobi might have fought on the mainland. Hoshigaki had mentioned farmers, which means civilisation might be nearby- but even seeking that much out would be troublesome, and would set them back by a valuable few hours. Hours during which the messenger bird sent to Konoha could arrive and spur the formation of a team hunt.

Anything Konoha knows, Danzo Shimura knows. With that in mind, Natsuki glances at the shinobi sitting across from her, suddenly realising how pointless her wariness of him seems in comparison to a much bigger threat, and throws all sense of caution to the wind.  
  
"Will you lead us in the right direction?" This time, he actually looks startled when she speaks. "I'm not familiar with Fire territory, and I could use a guide who knows how to navigate the terrain."  
  
"You don’t know these lands?"  
  
"I've never set foot outside of Waves- never had a reason to." Natsuki shrugs, not seeing any reason to hide it. Hoshigaki seems sceptical- whether it’s because he doubts the validity of her statement or because he isn’t keen on her request, she isn’t sure, but she decides to  present more incentive just in case he leans towards the latter. "I know this is an unreasonable request, especially given the circumstances. But if it's money you want as compensation for your services, I can offer you payment once I've returned. You have my word that I will give you what you are owed."

The Kiri-nin smirks, as if amused by the notion of placing his trust in that alone. "You'd rather pay a criminal than a Konoha team?" At that question, Natsuki carefully keeps a scowl from forming on her lips, choosing instead to remain indifferent as she responds.  
  
"I wouldn't trust that village with anything of mine, least of all my safety." A flash of surprise crosses Hoshigaki's face- looks like she didn't quite succeed in keeping _all_ the venom from her voice when she said that. Not quite eager to linger upon that, Natsuki adds, "I don’t intend on selling you out to them, if that’s what you’re worried about- and I’m willing to pay you more for your trouble. How much would you want?"  
  
Hoshigaki’s strange eyes linger upon her for a moment, speculative. The desire to start fidgeting under the intensity of that stare is quelled only by the composure she’s trained into her routine after all the council meetings she's had to attend, and so she meets his gaze with what she hopes is dignified composure.

When he does finally speak, Natsuki feels the grip of tension loosen its hold in her chest. He's the first to look away, and for the first time in a while, Natsuki detects a flicker of- something, in his chakra. Uncertainty? "I'll think about it. We'll see how much trouble it takes to get you back."

The lack of a proper reply isn’t the most reassuring, but Natsuki nods anyway. Picking up the food storage scroll by her side, she rolls it across to him past the barrier, saying, "Thanks for letting me have a go at your supplies. You should probably eat before we leave, too."  
  
Hoshigaki catches the scroll with his foot, before shooting her an almost dry look. "I already did."  
  
"Oh. Okay." A slightly awkward pause follows that odd exchange, and Natsuki decidedly refrains from rolling the canteen towards him, too. She suddenly isn’t sure how that would be received. Feeling somewhat sheepish, Natsuki almost misses the amused quiver from Hoshigaki’s signature - _ripples over a still puddle_ \- and it takes a lot of effort to swallow the embarrassment creeping up her throat.  Gods, how is one supposed to act in the presence of a missing-nin, anyway?

Scrounging for a save in her head, Natsuki is struck by the memory from yesterday’s mess. With genuine remorse in her tone, she says, "I'm sorry about last night, by the way. I should have given you a warning about that jutsu I used. The pain must have come as a shock."

Hoshigaki falls silent for a moment, likely startled by where this is coming from. To Natsuki’s surprise, however, he just shrugs. "If that's what it felt like on my wrist, it's hard to imagine what it did to you.” His lips twitch slightly again- that seemingly habitual grin of his threatening to cross his face. “ I'm sure I've paid you back for your fair share of pain."  
  
More times than she can count. Natsuki hides her wince with a chuff of laughter. "I've had so many calligraphy pieces ruined thanks to you."

A slight huff from Hoshigaki- this time his smile bears a slightly more genuine edge. “Sounds unfortunate.”  
  
“It was. I’d worked on one of those seals for days- I’m still upset about it.”  
  
“When was that?”  
  
“I think I was fourteen or so?”  
  
“Sounds like you can hold quite the grudge,” he sounds entertained at the notion, and Natsuki can’t help the withering look she shoots him.  
  
“That was barely five years ago, it’s not been that long.” Speaking of which… “How old are you, anyway?”  
  
Hoshigaki stops to think for a moment, before he says, “Eighteen.”

It's hard not to gawk at the casual remark. Eighteen, with the physique and build of a truck, and probably all the strength to crush said truck with one arm? _Eighteen_?! What the hell did they feed their shinobi with over in Kiri?

(She doesn't ask, of course. She doesn't remember a lot about Water’s Hidden Village, but she remembers Haku and Zabuza’s stories and knows the reputation of the Bloody Mist. That's not territory she's comfortable with breaching.)

Natsuki drums her fingers against the water container in her hands, humming thoughtfully. “You’re younger than me by a year, then. Does that make me your senpai?”

The dry look Hoshigaki gives her would put deserts to shame. “If you expect me to call you that, you’d best think again.”  
  
“Sad.” Natsuki struggles to keep a straight face, though she does quirk a smile when she says, “You still haven’t given me your name, you know. Would you rather I called you kouhai, instead?”  
  
She isn’t quite sure what kind of sound it is that Hoshigaki makes in reply- something between a growl and a protest- but before he can say anything, there’s movement in the peripheral of her vision. Natsuki almost jumps at the intrusion, wondering how someone had snuck past her senses, before realising that it’s just Kazuki returning from his hunting trip, having kept his chakra repressed enough to almost completely conceal his presence.

"We're done here. Let us be on our way." Natsuki can’t help but frown- he’d been gone far too shortly to have properly fed and rested, but the tiger merely casts a look over at Hoshigaki and asks, "Is he leaving now?"

Oh, he’s not going to like this. "I think he's the only one who knows where we are, Kazuki-san. We need his guidance." Kazuki looks at her sharply, and Natsuki braces herself for an argument.  
  
"Nonsense. We can seek out a landmark ourselves."  
  
"That would take too much time. Let's just work with him for a while, alright?"  
  
"He's _Kiri_."  
  
"And _I'm_ the Ōnami's successor. My country is likely in a state of national crisis, and I don't have time to handle any delays.” Natsuki sighs, disappointed in herself for being unable to keep the undercurrent of exasperation from leaking into her voice at the end of that statement. Putting a hand against her head, she shoots the tiger a pleading look. "This is the fastest way. Please understand, Kazuki-san."

Kazuki is silent as he looks from her to the Kiri-nin standing just a short distance away, displeasure radiating off every inch of his being. His chakra is still withdrawn, intangible even to her weakened senses, and Natsuki finds herself holding her breath as she waits on his verdict. If Kazuki decides to be difficult about this… well, she isn’t sure what she’s going to do. Probably ditch Hoshigaki and leave with her tiger, to be honest- and the shinobi’s not going to be happy about that. But Natsuki just keeps her mouth shut and waits.

When Kazuki merely deactivates his barrier and kneels in front of her, he shoots her a look that screams his reluctance. "Get on, shōko." His eyes turn on Hoshigaki, and he scowls as he reverts back to common Continental. “I’ll know if you start leading us the wrong way.”

That’s an utter bluff- but surprisingly, the missing-nin doesn’t call Kazuki out on it. He just nods once and then turns to look at Natsuki, raising an eyebrow expectantly. Huh. So maybe he does exhibit some form of professionalism when he’s got a job to do.

Taking a deep breath and thanking the gods that the duo hadn’t gone for each other’s throats just yet, Natsuki climbs onto Kazuki’s back- more like flops onto him, what with her legs being completely stubborn about following her command- and nods her acquiescence before Hoshigaki begins leading the way.

_Well, here goes nothing._

* * *

 

The knock on the office door has Ayano dropping the report she’d only been half-focused on reviewing in favour of shooting out of her seat, already calling out her permission for the person on the other side to enter. A man dressed in the dark blue uniform of the Waves’ police force enters the room, and Ayano immediately recognises him as one of the recently promoted sergeants.

“Did you find anything?” She asks immediately- but the troubled exhaustion written across the man’s face tells her the answer even before he shakes his head.  
  
“No, Ayano-sama. I'm just here to report that the search parties sent to the mainland have safely docked at Mihama.” The young man stands at attention despite the tiredness in his eyes, and relays the news with as professional a tone as he can manage. “We haven’t found any sign of the captors on the island, but an eyewitness report said that they saw a suspicious pair disappearing into the forests on the southwestern side. It looks like they escaped from one of the unguarded sides of the island, and we’ve deployed units to search the western seafront. We're still searching for any other trail the intruders may have left behind, but that's it for now.”  
  
Ayano takes a deep breath, before she nods tersely at the officer. “Thank you for the update, Ishida-san. Please continue the search efforts.”  
  
“Ōnami-sama,” he returns, bowing as he exits her office. As soon as the door clicks shut, Ayano slumps back into her seat, her hands coming up to cover her face as she takes yet another deep breath to calm herself. She hasn't slept a wink since yesterday, unable to focus on anything after receiving news of the report on two unknown individuals having been seen carrying Natsuki to the hospital after she'd apparently collapsed, only to disappear without having ever checked her in to begin with. The alert had gone out all across the island within the hour, and the police troops had immediately been deployed to scour the island, but it had been far too late by then. Whoever had taken Natsuki had most certainly escaped from Waves, and it had taken longer than Ayano would have liked for the police to organise the search parties that would be sent to the Land of Fire.

She could almost hear some of the elders on the council whispering amongst themselves about the issue of succession now that her heir is gone. No doubt at least one of them is lamenting her having not sired a spare- the mere thought makes her teeth clench in fury. Her daughter is missing, maybe even - _no she won't let herself think about that possibility_ \- and yet all they can think about is who gets the power now. It's driving Ayano closer to the brink than anything ever has since the crisis that had marked her first big move as Ōnami, and the worst part is that this time, there's nothing she can do. All the authority in the country isn't going to give her the guarantee that they will be able to bring her daughter back safely.

Ayano picks up the report she'd been examining with great reluctance, unable to keep her mind off the current situation even as she tries to get back to her work. The ones who had taken Natsuki are almost definitely shinobi, if not very skilled mercenaries, and neither option is particularly encouraging, seeing as how they had managed to take her by surprise. Neither Kaoru nor Hiroki had ever divulged the full extent of their tutelage or the kind of skills they've imparted onto Natsuki, and Ayano has never asked, but she knows enough to be sure that her daughter is far from helpless. She'd trusted Kaoru to do what was best for their daughter, and with this turn of events, she can't help but feel that if there's any chance that Natsuki might be okay, it will be because of that faith.

But these are shinobi who have taken Natsuki. Shinobi who have seen battle and have killed and fought in all the ways she has never been exposed to. Why had they come here to take her?

... _How_ had they known to take her?

As the gears start turning in Ayano’s mind, she slowly puts down the papers she'd been holding, lingering upon the memories and conversations that suddenly come to mind. Suddenly making a connection she hadn't thought of before, Ayano pushes aside the files on her table, and draws out a clean sheet of paper from the in-tray. Pulling open one of the top drawers in her desk, she withdraws a blue candle and a wax seal bearing the stylised image of a large wave- the Ōnami’s personal seal, reserved only for the most important documents. With a single-minded focus that she'd lacked ever since the news of Natsuki’s disappearance first reached her ears, Ayano starts penning her letter without having to think twice on her words. Hiroki hadn't told her everything before he’d left, but he'd told her enough, and something tells her this could be a sign- and even if it isn't, at least it gives her something to do.

Her little girl is out there somewhere, alone in the midst of enemies, and she’ll be damned if all she’s going to do is twiddle her thumbs and wait.

* * *

 

Natsuki waits until the sun is highest in the sky before she finally voices her building concern.

“Let’s stop here for a moment,” she calls out to both the shinobi escorting them and the tiger whose shoulders she's riding on. The two of them respond to her demand with surprising quickness, slowing the pace at which they’d been travelling amongst the many forested paths of Fire Country before grinding to a halt. They’d decided to avoid travelling directly along the main roads to avoid drawing attention to them- a precaution just in case they were wrong and there were in fact pursuers trying to find her- but Natsuki can feel the strain that the journey and her weight are taking on her summon, and she can’t just let this go on.  
  
“What is it, shōko? Do you sense something?” Even as Kazuki speaks, he’s barely keeping himself from panting, and Natsuki lowers herself from his back to stand on much steadier feet before looking him in the eye.  
  
“You bet I do.” Crossing her arms over her chest, Natsuki scowls and says, “You’re running on empty. I knew you’d taken too little time on that hunt to have properly fed. You need a proper break, Kazuki-san.”

“This is nothing.” Natsuki bites back a scoff, brow furrowing in annoyance and worry as she realises the stubborn tiger is too prideful to admit when he’s been pushed past his limits.  
  
“You can go back now, Kazuki-san. I can continue the journey from here.” It’s not quite a lie- she does feel better than she did before, but attempting to match the speed of a shinobi probably isn’t going to be possible for a non-stop run. From the way Kazuki bristles at her words, however, it’s clear that he doesn’t take kindly to the notion.

“I’m not leaving you until we get you home,” he insists, eyes briefly flickering over Natsuki’s shoulder to glower at the missing-nin behind her. Natsuki feels her lips thinning into a line, but she places a hand on Kazuki’s head and kneels down before him, urging him to look at her.  
  
“I’ve enough chakra now to summon someone else if I need to- but I can’t maintain two of you at once. You need to go home for now and rest.”  
  
“You cannot command me to do that.”  
  
“I can.” Kazuki’s muzzle pulls back into a snarl as he realises the hardness in her tone- it might have been more threatening had Natsuki not noticed the spike of alarm and concern in his chakra. She doesn’t like having to force her summons to do anything they don’t want to, but Natsuki maintains her stance- at the very least, she knows Hoshigaki doesn’t intend on hurting her. “I’m not letting you die for my sake- especially not because of _exhaustion_ , of all things. Go home. Tell everyone I’m safe, especially if Kaa-san called them out.”  
  
“You know why I won’t do that, shōko.” There’s an edge of desperation in Kazuki’s voice now, and his snarl has dropped away as he pleads, “Don’t make me leave you.”

Natsuki fights the urge to close her eyes or look away, knowing that even the slightest weakness will diminish the authority of her command. “I don’t like it either- but I will do it for you if I must.” She can’t handle more blood being shed for her sake. “Your life is as important as mine. Do not think for a second that I will hesitate to do this for you.”

Mournful yellow eyes stare up at her, a hundred different levels of defiance and worry warring within their depths. Natsuki knows how painful this command must be- to ask him to leave her with the same kind of people who had taken his family and countless masters from him before is unfair, but she’s always been this selfish- and quite frankly, she could care less about herself when it comes to the wellbeing of her loved ones. Kazuki may not be human, but he’s not exempt from the rule- and he must see the resolve in her stance, because his shoulders suddenly sag as though the weight of the world has settled upon them. The glare he casts at Hoshigaki is lacking the same fire from before, instead bearing more weariness than venom.

“If you harm her, not even Samsara herself will keep me from hunting down your every incarnation, roach.” Kazuki’s eyes then settle upon her once more, but instead of sparing her any words, he lowers his head respectfully and vanishes in a puff of smoke of his own accord. Natsuki finds herself feeling rather empty at the disappearance of her companion- she should be more relieved, and she is, but she knows Kazuki is upset with her and none of this is fair to him after he’d saved her life. Her hands start fidgeting with the edge of her shirt again as the situation finally sinks in- she’ll have to make it up to him somehow. Hell if she knows where to start, though.

“I wonder if I should tell him I don’t know who that is,” Hoshigaki suddenly mutters aloud, and Natsuki can’t help but smile distractedly at the remark. She finds that the Kiri-nin has a rather abrupt sense of humour, though she’s not quite sure if he’s making these little quips on purpose or if it’s just her.

“Samsara’s one of the old gods of the Continent.” Natsuki unconsciously remembers the ceremonial blade that she keeps in her study, and tries very hard to keep her voice from wavering as she relays the information. Did they perhaps have different gods over in Water? “They say she exists as a complement the Shinigami- the goddess of reincarnation to his role as reaper of souls.”

Hoshigaki makes a sound of acknowledgement at her explanation, absently unhooking the canister from his holster as he takes a drink. He then gives her a quick once over to assess her current state, and the slight frown that crosses his face tells her all she needs to know about what he thinks. “Are you sure you should have unsummoned him? You still look like you’re about to be blown away by the next breeze.”

Natsuki barks out a short laugh at that, half amused and half surprised at the concerned- if somewhat insulting- comment. Perhaps to a man like him, she seems frail enough for that- but Natsuki knows her body, knows the breadth of her shoulders and the fitness of her build, and the only wind that will ever knock her off her feet will have to be an actual tornado. Shooting the missing-nin an amused glance as she settles on the ground, she assures him, “I can keep up if I have to. I really can summon another one of the tigers if I must.”

There’s a slight shift in his chakra that she recognises as intrigue as he settles down opposite of her, right in front of a large, mossy boulder. "How many of them do you have at your command?"  
  
Natsuki’s surprised at the interest he shows, but figures that there’s no harm in divulging that bit of information. Tilting her head, she does quick review in her head as she replies. "There's... about eight or so of them, but I'm not sure if any more have been born since I last visited."

The Kiri-nin gives a small grunt, before he tosses his water container towards her. "Small clan.”  
  
Natsuki catches the canteen, but makes no move to open it as she shoots him a small, yet strained smile. "Most of them died when Uzushio fell- there were many Uzumaki who had signed the Tiger contract, and they fell with their companions.” Kazuki had also been orphaned in that war- but Natsuki doesn’t bring that up. It’s not her story to tell.

Hoshigaki falls silent at her response, though he does seem to be digesting what she's just told him. Natsuki wonders if perhaps he's starting to understand why Kazuki had been so adamant about keeping him away from them- not that it probably matters to him. Maybe he didn't really care for it. With that in mind, Natsuki decides to take a drink from the canister, trying not to finish too much of it so that Hoshigaki can have another go- before he suddenly startles her by speaking up again.

"Sorry."

That single word almost makes her snort water out her nose in surprise, but Natsuki somehow manages to swallow her drink peacefully before she casts a look of astonishment over at Hoshigaki. He isn't really looking at her, but he continues anyway. "That comment about fighting the survivors of your clan- that had been in poor taste."

To say that the apology had been unexpected would have been the understatement of the century. Natsuki couldn't honestly say that she'd expected any form of remorse from Hoshigaki- her memories of the person he will someday be are vague, but she remembers his ruthless, callous nature, and had been content to assume that as a summary of his personality. This apology, simple as it may be, doesn't match up at all with the image of the missing-nin she's put together in her head, and for a moment all she can do is stare, completely dumbfounded as to how to reply. He still doesn’t quite meet her eye, but Natsuki can feel his chakra circling a little faster within his coils- the barest touch of discomfort slipping through.

When she does find her voice again, Natsuki is surprised at how… moved, she feels. Hoshigaki is no saint, and he's got more blood on his hands than she can ever begin to fathom, but in that moment Natsuki sees something tangibly human in him that she hadn't before- and she acknowledges it.  
  
"Yes, it was." The minute wince that pulls down the corner of his lip is difficult to miss. Natsuki merely caps the water container in her hand, and leans forward to hold it out to him as she continues, "But war makes beasts out of even the most honourable men. We're capable of horrible things when we’re desperate to live- it's just a matter of whether you’re able to realise you’re still capable of good, even after it’s over." She pauses, before her lips twitch into a small, sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, too. It’s not easy, having to live with that kind of burden.”

Hoshigaki looks at the canteen she's offering him like it’s some foreign object, before his eyes dart back up to meet hers. “You speak of war as if you know it.”  
  
“I knew someone who did. He’d also done terrible things- but he lived by that principle, and I like to believe he was satisfied with the person he chose to be beyond all of that.” Natsuki struggles to swallow past the lump that starts to form in her throat, still wearing that small smile as she gestures towards the canteen again. “In any case, you need a break, too. Take a few minutes to rest- let me keep an eye out.”

“What happened to wanting to get back as soon as possible?”

“An exhausted guide isn't going to help my case. I can afford a few minutes of delay- and I need a moment to gather my bearings, too. I'm still feeling a bit dizzy.”

A few long seconds pass, and Hoshigaki still doesn't move- but just as Natsuki starts to feel her arm getting tired, he finally takes the canteen from her, still appearing a little sceptical as he does so.  
  
“Don’t even try to do anything funny,” He warns- but Natsuki only laughs at the suggestion, unable to fathom where he’d even gotten the idea that she’d be stupid enough to try anything with him. The look he gives her at her sudden bout of mirth puts him at somewhere between confused or offended by her reaction, and Natsuki takes a breath to compose herself long enough to respond.  
  
“I wouldn’t even dream of it, kouhai.” The glint of annoyance in his chakra feels like the spray of waves against her senses before it settles down, but the nuke-nin doesn’t say anything else beyond that as he leans against the boulder at his back and closes his eyes. He's still very much awake- his chakra hasn't even started to relax just yet, but he knows that she's not big enough a threat to at least be willing to shut his eyes, and perhaps that's as good as it's going to get. Natsuki doubts that he’s even going to try and really sleep, but she isn’t going to complain as long as he’s taking a break after an undoubtedly restless night.

As she extends her senses to encompass the area around them, Natsuki takes a moment to scrutinise the Kiri-nin closely- she hasn’t had the chance to really look at him before, and now that she does, she’s surprised that she hadn’t even noticed that his eyelids are completely black. The colouring contrasts greatly against the pale blue of the rest of his skin, and Natsuki has to wonder just how exactly he’d gained such a distinct appearance. There are clans with distinctive characteristics to accommodate their kekkei genkai- the Aburame clan is one of the first that comes to mind- and she knows that body modifications, like sharpening their teeth into points is a custom that most Kirigakure ninja adhere to, but this seems particularly extreme for either case. Maybe it’s got something to do with his summon contract- did the Shark clan have their own take on sage jutsu? Is this the result of forming a pact with them, some sort of permanent alteration to his appearance?

Natsuki rubs a hand over her face, feeling somewhat guilty that she’s trying to dissect her- her soulmate like this. She doubts she’ll ever know just why Hoshigaki looks the way he does, and it’s not her prerogative to ask or linger upon it. It’s not like it even matters, anyway- for all his appearance suggests, there’s no doubting Hoshigaki is anything but human, and the existence of his soul mark is proof of that.

Her fingers brush against the compass on her hand, and Natsuki finds herself wondering for the first time in years just why these exist in the first place. It’s obvious that they’re not for something as utilitarian as ensuring the survival of their kind, since not everyone got one, nor do they serve any other tangible purpose. These work on the concept of something as abstract as _souls-_ and frankly, given her whole reincarnation situation, that just seems like utter bull to her. She may not be the same person she’d been before, but her memories, her life and all her experiences- they’re all still hers, and she had never had any such ‘soulmate’ in that last life. So just how and why did these compasses even come to exist? To add substance to one’s life? To make them miserable? Or is there something else that she’s missing here, something she doesn’t understand?

Natsuki stares at her soulmate, thinking of the fact that their crossed paths may only last for this one moment before they separate again, and wonders if perhaps he knows the answer.

* * *

 

Hard, alert eyes flit over every face that crosses Kaoru’s path, all of the townsfolk either avoiding her gaze or sparing her just a momentary glance of curiosity. This village along the coast is a small one, barely of note on the map of Fire country, and it’s obvious that they don’t see a lot of foreigners around these parts. Kaoru isn’t interested in entertaining their stares, however- instead, she turns to her companion expectantly, ignoring the way her hands itch for a weapon, as if that would help anything.

“Any sign of her, Takeo?”  
  
“No, Kaoru-sama.” The tiger’s apologetic reply does little for Kaoru’s anxiety, and she sighs. This is the third town  that she’s run past, and she’s losing daylight by the second. Takeo takes another tentative sniff from where he stands next to her, cloaked in a genjutsu to avoid drawing attention from the townspeople, and a troubled expression crosses his face. “But… I can sense a strange signature in this area. Something powerful.”

Kaoru tries to ignore the frustration bubbling in her chest as she runs a hand through her hair, biting back the dismayed words that threaten to lash out. Takeo’s sensing abilities aren’t nearly as ranged as some of the other tigers,  but she’s sent those out ahead to scout other places while she took the coastline- the area which most required her attention. If the people who took Natsuki chose to flee the Continent, they’d be in for all the more trouble- at the very least, Waves has a strong alliance with Fire. But in Lightning or Water territory…

“We don’t have time for any trail that’s not hers.” Kaoru glances at the sky, anxiety slowly crawling up along her throat. It’s nearly nightfall, and the people who took her daughter have had a whole day to get away. “If she’s not here, then let’s move to the next-”  
  
“Excuse me, miss?” Before Kaoru can finish, a voice from somewhere to her left interrupts, startling her into tensing her hand against the weapon seal strapped to her leg. She turns to see an old woman standing there, clutching a cane while a basket hangs from the crook of her elbow, and Kaoru absently notes that her pupils white and unseeing as they stare in her general direction. Kaoru only relaxes slightly when she sees the unassuming woman, unwilling to completely let her guard down in unfamiliar territory.

“Are you speaking to me, ma'am?” She doesn’t have time for small talk, not with something as urgent as this at hand- but there’s something about this woman that strikes her as familiar, and Kaoru is compelled to stop and ponder for just a moment. It isn't until after the words leave her lips that she realises the woman had addressed her in Eastern Continental.

“Yes, I’m so sorry to bother you. Forgive me for asking, but…” The woman takes a small, hesitant step forward, wrinkles creasing across her brow and eyes intense despite her sightless gaze. Kaoru isn’t quite sure what it is that makes her think she knows this woman, but she feels it on the tip of her tongue- and the woman’s next words only serve to enforce that notion. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

That… is unlikely. She hasn’t had the time to stop and make friends with people on the Continent. Not since-

Kaoru’s breath hitches, eyes going wide as she realises who this woman could be.  
  
“You’re…!”

* * *

 

It’s late at night by the time they make it to the Land of Fire’s southernmost port of Mihama- which, by all accounts, is better time than Kisame had expected. He’d been certain that Hagiwara was going to cave in and demand rest before making it this far- she’d come especially close to giving in when he’d deliberately redirected their path to veer into one of the smaller villages along the way- but she’d pushed through her obvious exhaustion and made it here somehow. As it is, she’s heaving and barely keeping herself on her legs as they stand near the entrance to the port town, and Kisame has to admire that kind of single-minded determination. He’d expected the noblewoman to be… well, maybe not _spoilt_ , but perhaps a little soft. Most of his experiences with the higher-ups in his own country’s hierarchy have been far from pleasant- and he must say, he’s surprised by this change of pace.

“It’d be a shame if you passed out now. You’re almost home,” He comments as she remains hunched over, hands on her knees and leaning against the side of a building. They’d stopped in an alleyway to let her catch her breath, and she’d pulled back the hood from the travelling cloak they’d gotten at the last town. Her bloodstained attire wasn’t doing much for her attempt at remaining inconspicuous, and Kisame is still trying to shake off the confused, yet grateful look she’d shot him when he’d tossed the cloak at her.  
  
“I’ll make it. Just… give me a second,” she pants out, and Kisame smirks. He’s lost count of how many ‘seconds’ he’s had to give her along this journey.

“You’ve already missed the last ferry, so what now?”

“There’s probably a policeman from the island around here- I’ll have to walk around for a bit until I can get a hit on a familiar signature. Shouldn’t be too hard.” She forces herself to straighten up again, and Kisame is almost impressed by the distinct pop of her bones as she stretches. Hagiwara's dark eyes focus on him again, and she asks, “You intend on following me to the island, right? I can’t exactly pay you otherwise.”

Kisame shrugs, a somewhat condescending smile on his face. “I’ll trail behind. I doubt your countrymen will take very easily to welcoming a nuke-nin onto their land.”  
  
“You could always use a transformation jutsu. No one would know any better.”

He raises an eyebrow at that. “You’d encourage me to lie to your people?” How…typical.  
  
“Only where it’s necessary.” Hagiwara’s gaze hardens at the implied accusation in his voice, as does her tone. “If the truth gets out, your life is at stake. Gossip spreads- and with a port as active as Waves', it’s not contained to just our island. We see business from merchants who come from Water too, you know.”

That gives Kisame pause. Is she worried about him getting caught? _That’s_ where this is coming from? The mere notion throws him in for a loop- his distaste for corrupt superiors is one thing, but if it’s a lie created for his sake… does that really make it any better?

“I’ll pass. I’ll figure out another way to retrieve my payment without the attention,” he replies, keeping his voice carefully neutral. He’ll think about these contradictions later.

“You’ve decided on a price, then?” Hagiwara glances at him in intrigue, and- damn it, he hadn’t really been thinking before he’d said that.  
  
“I’ll let you know when this is actually over,” he replies evenly, before gesturing towards the town with a jerk of his chin. “Go find your policeman. I’ll keep my distance.” He’s been keeping up this mild invisibility genjutsu to help him blend in for a while now, but he doesn’t quite favour the idea of standing right next to Hagiwara as one of her own finally comes around to finding her.

The redhead seems to hesitate for a moment, her eyes darting from him to the town before looking back at him again. He isn’t quite sure where this hesitation is coming from, but before he can decipher it, the moment passes when Hagiwara takes a step towards the main road at his behest, pulling the hood of her cloak back over her head. Before she steps out onto the street, however, she casts a look over her shoulder.

“Thank you again, for everything.” A slight smile tugs on the corner of her lip, and an almost mischievous gleam enters her eye as she waves at him. “I’ll see you around soon, kouhai.”

And then she disappears around the corner before he can reply. He regrets telling her his age now- that stupid nickname is utterly grating, even if he hasn’t really given her any alternative. He’s certainly not about to drop his name, though perhaps his appearance alone would be a giveaway to any hunter worth their salt. Either way, the annoyance is almost not worth the extra layer of secrecy. He should have just given her a fake name to appease her, damn it.

Kisame leans against the wall of the concrete building, crossing his arms over his chest as he takes a moment to ponder what comes next. Hagiwara’s going to return home, where she’ll probably be welcomed back with open arms and interrogated on her kidnapping- maybe she’ll even out him, despite all her talk about wanting his identity kept secret. After that, he’ll just have to wait for a good time to approach her to obtain what he’s owed, and if she does so without causing a fuss, he’ll leave without any trouble. Simple.

At least, it should be. Forgetting the fact that he still has no clue what to do after that three-step plan, her words about an unknown enemy deliberately painting a target on her back for a bunch of village-less ninja to abduct had left him more unsettled than he cared to admit. The way she’d spoken of Konoha- seething disdain barely hidden beneath attempted civility- doesn’t exactly paint a pretty picture if the two are connected, and Kisame would be lying if he says he isn’t intrigued. He’s not concerned about the Ōnami’s heir, just curious as to where this case of kidnapping will lead, and if it’s something as big as he suspects it might be.

It's not worry. Just curiosity.

“Couldn’t have been just a regular civilian,” He mutters to no one in particular, dragging a hand over his face before he kicks off the wall, prepared to follow Hagiwara’s trail now that she’s gained some distance.

Why did he have to get way too deep into these things?

* * *

 

Nightfall arrives with a rare cloudiness over Konohagakure, the overcast sky filtering the sparse rays of moonlight shining down on the village. In a house located within one of the area's higher-end districts, a man looks up at the sky from his kitchen window, wondering if it’s going to rain after such a clear, sunny day. He can hear his wife singing to their child in the living room while he washes the dishes, and a slight smile lingers on his face as he listens to her slightly off-key tune. He quietly hums along as well, feeling incredibly chirpy after spending a much-needed day off with his family, and he's almost sad that it has to end. Sure, he loves his job- stressful and difficult as it may sometimes be- but every second that he spends with his family feels like a miracle to him. Sometimes he still wonders if this is all just a dream that’s too good to be true, and if so, he hopes he never wakes up.

The sound of the doorbell ringing draws the man out of his thoughts, and he turns towards the front door with just a touch of caution mingling with his curiosity. It's rather late- who on earth could possibly be visiting?

"I’ll go get it,” He calls out to his wife, who had abruptly stopped singing as soon as the bell had rung. Instead of giving him a verbal affirmation, the sound of his son’s cheerful peal of laughter rings out across the house, drawing her attention once again as she goes back to fussing over him. With a smile returning to his face- though smaller than it had been before- the man focuses once more on his task of seeing to the entrance. As soon as he's close enough, he senses the familiar chakra signature on the other side, and finds his curiosity growing even more as he unlocks the door.

"Genma? What brings you here so late?" He asks the tokubetsu jounin standing on the threshold, a note of concern entering his voice. Genma Shiranui merely inclines his head in greeting, the senbon in his mouth swishing slightly as he does so.

"Sorry to bother you on your day off, Hokage-sama." The apology is casual enough, but there’s a tension to the young ninja’s posture that he doesn't miss. Genma holds something out to him just then, his eyes darting around as though he’s wary of anyone spying on them- not that they’d manage to sneak past his senses. He isn't part of ANBU for no good reason. "But I thought you'd want to see this yourself."

The moment his eyes land on the envelope in Genma’s hands, the man feels his body tense with surprise. He's only ever seen that seal once before in his life- the last time had been just two years ago, not long after he'd taken his place as Yondaime Hokage. As he takes the letter from Genma’s hands, he allows the shinobi to enter his house and closes the door behind him, making sure to activate the security seals he'd inscribed into the doorframe as he does so.

It's not every day that the Ōnami sends a personal letter- the last time she'd done so, it had been to deliver her thanks for returning one of her own back to Waves for a proper burial. Whatever the reason for this message, it must be important- and as he cracks upon the seal on the envelope and reads the contents of the letter within, he feels a sense of dread lodging itself within his stomach.

"Minato? Did something come up?"

"Ah," Is the only thing that he can say in response to his wife's question, his clear blue eyes darting up to meet Genma's confused, but firm gaze. The letter’s contents are worrying for a number of reasons- the fact that foreign shinobi were interfering with the matters of Waves, the problems this brings for the trade town that has begun to develop so quickly that even the Daimyo of Fire has started paying more attention… and the implications this has, to have happened two years after the last major attack on Konoha. An attack that they had only been ready for because of the assistance from a man of Waves.

As he feels his wife peering over his shoulder, he lets her take the letter from his hands while he exchanges another look with Genma- this time, there’s iron in his gaze, and the guard straightens to attention when he realises that his Hokage is preparing to act. A curt nod is all Genma gives before he disappears out the door, using a shunshin to get back to his station.  
  
“Kushina, I’m heading to the office for a bit.” Minato Namikaze turns to look at his soulmate, whose eyes are still scanning the lines of the Onami’s letter. Her hands are clutching the letter so tightly that it’s starting to crumple along the edges, and her hair is starting to float off her back in reaction to her agitated chakra- but when she looks up at him, there is no fire in her eyes. Only raw, blistering ice.

Heaven have mercy on the ones who have dared to cross the Uzumaki, for there will be none to be found from Kushina.  
  
“Go. Find the bastards that did this.” It’s not a request. Minato only nods as he grabs his Yondaime coat from the rack by the door, flickering into the living room that he’d marked with one of his Flying Thunder God seals and planting a kiss on his son’s forehead before flickering once more out of existence, heading straight for the Hokage’s office.

If this is what he thinks this is, then there’s no time to lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, introducing multiple different plot lines in one chapter at once: theres no way this could go wrong ((god give me the strength to wrap them all up properly  
> Once again, shoutout to all the people who've started following this fic, and for all the lovely comments yall left! It's always encouraging to see that you guys liked this story enough to take the time to do so, and I can't express my gratitude enough. This update's for all of you, as always!
> 
> Side note: I'd like to credit the concept of body scrolls in this fic to the works Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen (we've all read this one aha) and Hear the Silence by EmptySurface! Do check em out, they're both amazing fics that take worldbuilding to a whole new level!


	5. Disclosure

The first thing Natsuki had done before confronting the Waves policemen in town was to ditch her travelling cloak. As much as she appreciated Hoshigaki's gift- a strange way to describe something he'd just chucked at her to cover up her obvious injuries, but it was apt- she knew that explaining how she managed to get a hold of one when she was supposed to have been alone in the middle of nowhere would raise many questions. Not all of which she could answer without giving away the assistance of another.

 She's already come to terms with the fact that she'll have to out herself as having been trained in the ninja arts, but that would just be confirming what many have already speculated amongst the people of Waves. There has always been talk about such suspicions where Hiroki and Kaoru were concerned, and that had carried over to her as well. She just got lucky with the fact that she’d had the chance to start building her bridges with the locals early on in life- not that she’d had plans to come clean on her skills, but the possibility had always been there, and she’d acted on it.

Though she would like to say that her reasons for communicating with her people are entirely selfless- they’re not. And with this latest turn of events, Natsuki’s fairly certain she’s built enough rapport with them and gained enough of a positive reputation to still maintain her position with little opposition. This confirmation might cause a few ripples, and she’ll have to work to regain that trust, but it will hardly be enough to rock the boat she's built. At least... she hopes so.

Natsuki rubs her arms from where she sits in Superintendent Aida’s office, careful not to let the blanket she’d been provided slip off her shoulders. The officer is just outside the door, talking to one of his subordinates and likely communicating orders to be delivered to the rest of the units now that she’s returned safely, but Natsuki finds herself too tired to care for the details. It’s late- the clock on the wall says it’s a little past two in the morning- and she wants desperately to sleep now that she’s finished with answering the police’s questions on her disappearance. It had only taken a few minutes- her description of how she’d fought back had been straight to the point, though she’d tweaked the story so that Kazuki had been the one to take down the second shinobi. She’d also improvised some more by saying the tiger had been in possession of the body scrolls she’d used to seal the bodies, and from then on the retelling of the rest of her journey had been easily spun.

The fact that they’d bought it all so easily makes Natsuki feel guilty beyond words- but she’d meant what she’d said about keeping Hoshigaki under the radar, and she couldn’t go back on that, no matter how fine a line she’s treading here. Honestly, if he was anything but her soulmate, she might not have been so adamant on sticking to her word. The stupid compasses are impeding her moral judgement.

Natsuki almost lifts her hand to look at her soul mark before the door opens again, and she stills her hand. Thankfully, the long sleeves of the plain black shirt she’d been provided covers her mark fairly well- she’d turned over her bloodstained shirt as evidence in addition to the body scrolls, and this new shirt smells a little funny, but she can deal with that much. As the superintendent makes his way back to his table and takes a seat on his side of the desk, he shoots her a look of concern. “Are you feeling alright, Natsuki-sama?”  
  
A small smile is the most she can muster. Honestly, she doesn’t know what she’s feeling. “Just tired, that’s all. May I return home now?”

“Well, unless there’s anything else you want to add on to the report, you’re good to go. We’ll send a couple of our men with you to escort you back to your residence.” Aida’s careful to keep his voice level and calm as he speaks, and Natsuki appreciates the consideration.  
  
“Does my mother know I’ve returned?”  
  
“She’s in the waiting room right now- she just arrived with Arikawa-san and Itou-san after we sent someone to deliver the message.” Natsuki feels herself perk up slightly even through the haze of exhaustion at that, and Aida seems to pick up on her reaction. “If there’s nothing else, I can take you to her now.”

When Natsuki affirms that there really is nothing else she has to contribute to the investigation- _she really has to keep track of all these white lies she’s planting_ \- the superintendent passes her a form to sign as confirmation of her report submission. He then takes the blanket from her shoulders and walks with her to the door, guiding her through the building of the police headquarters with a familiarity she doesn’t possess. Natsuki’s grateful for the assistance- in her current state, she doubts she could have navigated these uniform, far-too-similar hallways without getting lost- and when they stop outside the waiting room, she pauses for a moment to express her gratitude.

“Thank you for your time, Aida-san. If there’s anything else I can do to contribute to the investigation, please let me know.”  
  
“At this point, Natsuki-sama, you’ve provided us with more than we could have hoped for.” He shoots her a warm smile- and it admittedly surprises her somewhat to hear the next words that fall from his lips. “We’re just glad that you’ve returned safely to us. All of Waves will rest easy tonight.”

Natsuki takes just a moment too long to respond to that, her tiredness affecting her reaction somewhat amidst the shock of such a heartfelt statement. With a wan smile, she nods back. “Thank you. Please, make sure you and your men get a good night’s rest after all your hard work.”  
  
“We’ll do our best,” is all Aida says before he opens the door, ushering her inside to where two policemen and three very familiar faces await beyond. The moment she walks inside, time seems to slow. Natsuki barely has a second to catch a glimpse of ash brown hair and dark eyes before her mother is on her feet and throwing her arms around her- thankfully, she reacts just in time to catch the embrace, feeling Ayano’s arms encircle her.

“Nacchan.” Her mother sounds breathless, as though she can’t believe this is real. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“I’m okay, Okaa-chan.” Natsuki can’t keep her voice from wavering as she returns the hug tightly, unable to stop herself from pressing her face against her mother’s hair as she takes in the comforting aura of Ayano’s chakra. A small, but constant hearth that she’s known all her life- with it the feeling of coming home finally settles in, and Natsuki finds herself blinking back tears. “Don’t worry- I escaped before they could do anything. I’m alright.”  
  
Ayano holds her face in her hands, deep brown eyes searching as she looks at her for some sign.  Whatever she sees, it makes the line of her lips tighten, but her voice is gentle as she reaches up to brush away the hair hanging in her face. “We’re getting you home. You’re going to take a shower, and then you’ll eat something before bed. Got it?”

Natsuki tries hard not to laugh in sheer surprise- her mother hasn't… well, _mothered_ her like this in years. “This sounds an awful lot like what you told Kaa-san when you first met.”

Ayano rolls her eyes- in moments like these, Natsuki sees where she gets her attitude from. “You're both equally good at making me worry- and people wonder why I'm going grey.” Her mother looks at her for a moment, her expression softening before she plants a kiss on her cheek. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Nacchan.”

“As am I.” Natsuki smiles, trying not to let her expression seem too watery as she places a hand over her mother's. Ayano holds her by her arms for just a while longer before she releases her, stepping aside to let the other two people in the room approach her in turn. The feeling of Tatsumi and Hatsume’s signatures- crumbling earth in her hands and raindrops against a window- are such familiar reassurances that Natsuki finds herself pulling them both into a group hug, to which they both comply without any resistance.

“I'm never letting you go out to get lunch alone ever again.” Hatsume’s voice is watery as she speaks, and Natsuki huffs out a short giggle. She can feel Hatsume’s glasses pressing against her neck, likely dirtying the lenses, but she doesn't seem to care.

"I guess I was late for that dinner after all?" Natsuki breathes, trying to ignore the emotion swelling in her chest.

"We cancelled, idiot."  Despite his callous words, Tatsumi's voice shakes slightly as he reprimands her. "We couldn't just go without you."

"I'm sorry I worried you- Tatsu, Hatsume."

"You better be," the former mutters, before pulling back at last and giving her a proper look at them both. Tatsumi's usually sharp eyes are bloodshot, his hair messier than she's ever seen him dare to wear outside, and Hatsume’s dressed in a wrinkled shirt and shorts that scream the fact she’d pulled on whatever she could get her hands on before coming here. The two of them paint such a dishevelled image that Natsuki feels a pang of guilt for all the trouble she's undoubtedly caused.

“You two look great,” she jokes, earning an eye roll from Tatsumi while he pushes her head gently in retaliation. Hatsume scoffs at her words, giving her a pointed once over as she does so.

“Look who's talking.”

“I know there's a lot we have to ask- but I think we should continue this back home.” Ayano’s voice interrupts them before the banter can proceed- despite the relaxed expression on her face, there’s an edge of concern in her eyes when she looks at Natsuki. When no one protests to the suggestion, the Ōnami turns towards the two guards standing by the door and nods towards them. “Officers, thank you very much for your help in bringing my daughter back to me.”

“We're honoured to serve you, Ōnami-sama.” The shorter of the two responds as they bow towards Ayano- Natsuki reminds herself to get their names later- before they start leading them all back out to the front door of the station. The moment Natsuki steps outside and feels the breeze against her face, she’s struck with a feeling of wonder as she gazes at the familiar streets and houses, illuminated only by the street lights and the occasional window lit up from within by night owls who are still awake. She can’t stop herself from looking around, staring at the forested hills and the ocean in the distance, and just… taking in the sight of this world that she’s grown up in. The world she could have lost, had she not done what she had.

Gods. She’d _killed_ someone. She can still hear the sound of blades tearing through skin and bone, the gurgled gasps and-

"Natsuki, are you okay?" Hatsume peers at her worriedly, drawing Natsuki out of her brief reverie. Blinking rapidly, Natsuki glances at her company and sees them all watching her intently, and she begins to feel somewhat sheepish for spacing out like that.

"Yeah." She pulls at the end of her shirt in her usual nervous tic, trying not to let her emotions overwhelm her. _Later_. "Yeah, it's just... for a while, I thought I might never see this place again."

A look of understanding crosses her mother’s face, and she walks up to her to lay a hand against her back. The feeling of warmth blooming within her heart at the slight, yet meaningful gesture is almost enough to break Natsuki’s composure, and for a moment, she lets herself forget about all the new obstacles that await now that she’s back. It’s just her, her mother and her closest friends safe on this island- and that’s all that matters.

"Welcome home, Nacchan."

For the first time, Natsuki thinks she might truly understand what that word means.

* * *

 

Ayano faces the window as she looks at the documents in her hands, her outline surrounded by the warm embrace of the evening sun. Natsuki stands at attention before the Ōnami’s desk, patiently waiting for her to review the emigration forms and the approval letters without uttering to much as a peep. The sun makes Ayano’s brown hair glow golden in the light, oranges and reds filling the sky and signalling the coming of night, and Natsuki finds herself staring out the window with melancholy settling behind her ribs. There’s something _final_ about this scenario that she can't shake off- as though this familiar skyline is going to disappear the moment she looks away.

“Is there truly no other way to do this?”  
  
“There’s far too much at stake here. I cannot ignore the risk that they'll resort to drastic measures.” This voice- it’s not hers. Neither are these hands, calloused and scarred as they clench into fists at her sides. She’s clutching onto something with one hand near her waist, a touch of cold steel against smooth, solid wood in her grip, and there’s something almost familiar about the feeling. “It’s them or me- and I won’t allow either of them to throw their lives away for nothing. At the very least, I'll know how to hold my own.”

“You’ve made up your mind, then.” The Ōnami sighs, before she turns from the window and looks at Natsuki with mournful eyes. “I won’t stop you, but are you certain about all of this? We could still try to negotiate further with them.”  
  
“This is the only way to get them off our backs. There are powerful enemies working in the shadows- not all of which I will be able to stop, even when I go. But if anything should happen to Waves, at the very least, you will find an ally in Konoha. I will make sure of that.” The confidence in her tone is unwavering, and from the way Ayano’s lips turn upwards into a small, but saddened smile, she can hear it as well.  
  
“She’ll miss you more than anyone else, you know.” A brief pause, and Ayano’s voice grows even more solemn than before. “You don’t plan on coming back, do you?”  
  
“That would put all of you at risk- well, more than you already are.” A laugh falls from Natsuki’s lips, but it’s void of humour. A weight settles in her chest, one that she cannot simply brush off with a mere jest. “I can afford to become a target- the worst thing they could do is kill me. Perhaps Kaoru as well, but Nacchan… they could turn her into something even we can’t reach.”

The woman is quiet for a moment- and Natsuki knows there is an undeniable truth in those words, no matter how much the Ōnami will want to deny it. “This will hurt her.”  
  
“But she won’t break,” Natsuki counters, and this time, her gaze falls to the item she’s clutching. Her eyes land upon a blade strapped to her belt, and as she draws it from its sheath, she finds herself staring into the polished surface of the wavy-edged dagger. Her reflection stares back at her from between the patterns etched into the blade- scarlet hair with streaks of grey, violet eyes set in a face she hasn’t seen in years- and when she speaks again in Hiroki’s voice, there’s a fierce pride there that Natsuki knows she doesn’t deserve. “I know my shōko. She’ll make it through this.”

Before she can stop herself, Natsuki- _Jii-chan?_ \- looks down at the hilt of the dagger, where motifs inlaid in gold curve into elegant, connected branches and swirls. In the middle is a large golden spiral that reminds her of an eye staring back at her, looking deep into her soul and suddenly there are countless tomoe swirling against the rippling lines and it’s burning red _redred_ -

\- and Natsuki jerks awake, lungs burning with an almost fervent hunger for air as she gasps into the silence. Her vision is blurred by the veil of tears that she tried to rub away, but the attempt is futile as more of them begin to gather beneath her lids and trickle down her face. It’s all she can do not to start sobbing from the immense headache and the overload on her senses- fear acceptance worry determination _I can’t let this future come to pass_ \- from the nightmare, and she grits her teeth almost painfully as she holds back the scream of frustration that wants to leave her lips. She hasn’t even been back for one day in this stupid apartment of hers, and these nightmares have already started back up again?

With a growl and a surge of almost childish anger, Natsuki swings her legs onto the ground and stalks towards the door, flinging it open as she leaves her bedroom. The first rays of morning are filtering in through the shades, but Natsuki moves with a single-minded focus as she opens the door to the study and stomps towards the cabinet in the corner, using just a bit too much chakra to release the seals keeping it closed. Flinging open the bottommost drawer, her fingers deftly pry open the false bottom and almost immediately wrap around what she’s searching for, and she pulls it out from its sheath with unnecessary aggression.

“You,” she hisses. The dagger in her hands- the same one from her dreams- doesn’t so much as glisten in reply. “What are you trying to tell me? Why do you keep showing me all of this?”

Natsuki sits on her knees, just glaring at the ceremonial knife with senseless fury as though it would do anything to earn a response. When nothing happens, she shakes the thing and snaps, “If you’re supposed to house her, then answer me! I deserve to know, damn it!” Despite the anger swirling in her chest, Natsuki’s voice breaks when the grief finally slips through the cracks. “Why did he leave you to me? What did he _do_?”

She doesn’t get a response- because of course she doesn’t. There’s never been anything that this blade has given her, except those visions through his eyes. The same scenes replaying over and over and over, and the pain that never gets easier. She’d forgotten how much these dreams hurt when there’s nothing separating her spiritual energy from whatever memories and dormant spirits lie within the blade. Without any barriers or seals to shield her, every sensation from the night terrors- everything that she sees and feels- become all the more tangible, and inevitably distort her own mind.

Sometimes she wishes the old gods had died with Uzushiogakure, and stayed that way.

Without quite meaning to, Natsuki finds herself turning her hand over to stare at the compass on her wrist. It's barely spinning now- the needle hovers to the west, swinging in a slow, almost lazy half arc that tells her Hoshigaki is nearby. She’s yet to determine the exact distances that these can measure, and she can’t sense his presence, but on the off chance that the Kiri-nin might be affected by her meltdown somehow, she finds it… easier, to convince herself to pull it all back together. Natsuki takes a deep breath, and then another- and with each inhale, she finds herself lowering the dagger more and more, until its tip touches the ground and her hands are resting against her knees.

She doesn’t have time for this. There’s damage control to be done.

“I need to remake that seal,” she mutters, finally convincing herself to place the blade back in the compartment she’d hidden it in and reassembling everything once again. Maybe one day she really will throw that cursed thing into the sea instead of dealing with its countless problems. If that somehow offends the goddess the dagger supposedly invokes, well- it’s not like she can torment her any more than she already has. The damn thing has caused her more trouble than it’s worth.

She’ll be rid of it someday. Just… not today.

* * *

 

Tatsumi shows up at her door two hours after her awakening to find her dressed in one of her nicer yukata, and her hair freshly cut so that the ends curl just under her ears. He doesn’t make much of a comment on her outfit choice, though he does raise an eyebrow when he notes the thick pewter bracelet she’s using to hide her wrist.

“Not the best choice of accessory you could’ve made for that outfit, Natsu.” He comments, leaning against the back of her couch while Natsuki busies herself with fixing her obi. Natsuki snorts at the idle comment- she’s just glad that Tatsumi hadn’t been curious enough to pry.  “Are you sure you're well enough to walk in that thing, though?”

“I didn't break my legs, Tatsu. I'm just a little tired,” Natsuki assures, finally finishing the knot of her sash while she shoots him a deliberate look.  “And I need to show everyone that I'm okay. It won't do to let them worry even more- especially now that the cat’s out of the bag.”

“I'll go with you- I can afford a delay today. Most of my work has already been handled.”

Natsuki breathes out a short laugh, though she shoots him a fond look. “You're such a worrywart.”

“Someone around here has to take care of you,” Tatsumi retorts easily, walking up to her and pulling a spare thread off the collar of her yukata. Giving her a once over, he seems to grimace slightly when his eyes linger on her hair. “You couldn’t have waited another day before giving yourself a haircut?”  
  
“Is it that bad?”  
  
“It’s very... you.” Tatsumi’s lips twitch slightly when he notices the dry look she gives him, and all he does is rearrange her hair a little before pushing her lightly towards the front door. “Just a little uneven here and there. Come on, Natsu- we’ve got a town to parade through.”

Natsuki complies without complaint, though she does touch the ends of her hair self-consciously. The bright red already stands out on its own, and though she doesn't mind how she looks, her hair does sometimes make her feel a little too aware of how different she is. Some people still view her as an outsider in this land, and it’s never more obvious than when they compare her to the rest of them.

They’ll only look at her with even more apprehension now that they probably know she was raised to fight like a shinobi. The moment Natsuki’s shoes touch the gravel of the road outside her apartment, she’s suddenly all too aware of all the looks she draws. In the early morning hours of the weekend, most people are sleeping in or staying indoors, but even the few people who are out and about are able to make her feel very small when their gazes meet. Still, she swallows the anxiety crawling up her throat, puts on a smile, and steps towards the path leading towards the administrative district.

There’s no room for hesitation or doubt when all of Waves has its eyes on her.

"Natsuki-sama." The hushed, almost awed whisper comes from somewhere to her left as she walks through the streets, but Natsuki only catches the movement of someone casting open their door and running inside, followed by an excited cry. "Come out and see, quickly! It's Natsuki-sama, she's back!"

"It can't be." Another murmur draws her attention from the tea shop across the road. When she turns towards the source of the voice, Natsuki meets the stare of a man she recognises as one of the builders working under Tazuna to finish the bridge, and he promptly drops the spoon in his hands. The rest of his friends sitting at the breakfast table with him proceed to gawk as she passes by with varying levels of surprise- she's fairly certain one of them dropped their cigarette from gaping so wide- and she lifts her hand in greeting.

That single acknowledgement seems to set something off in the quiet streets of Waves.

One by one, as more people start to take notice of her presence in the streets, the whispers grow louder and louder. The drapes shift and windows open as even slumbering individuals rise to see what the commotion is about so early in the day, and with more people taking notice the more Natsuki begins to feel her worry skyrocket. This is it- this is where she finds out if all the efforts she’s made to build her reputation over the years has paid off.

"Hagiwara-sama’s daughter has returned!"

"Did you hear about how she escaped?”

"Who cares? She's safe!”

“I always knew there was something amiss about her.”

"Look, onii-chan! She came back!"

"Natsuki-sama!”

A few cheers start to resound from amidst the audience she's managed to draw- she's pretty sure she hears a couple of relieved sobs too, much to her confusion- and Natsuki struggles to keep up with every face that crosses her path. She's trying to at least smile at the people who stare at her as she passes, and for the few who stop to welcome her back she slows down to thank them personally, genuinely moved by their show of concern for her. She’d known that there were many among the citizens who think fairly of her- but to actually see this exuberance with her own eyes is… eye-opening, to say the least.

She can’t express the relief she feels knowing that there are more people are cheering for her return than those who look at her with newfound apprehension.

"Natsuki-sama, words cannot explain how relieved we are to see you." A man she recognises as Matsuoka- the same person who had once offered her and her grandfather a free ride on his rickshaw- bows deeply before her as she passes by, and Natsuki stops for a moment to return the greeting. She's barely halfway through town even after several long minutes of walking, but she doesn't let her exhaustion show as she smiles at him.

"Please, there's really no need to bow before me, Matsuoka-san." The old man's face brightens up the same way many of the others who she'd addressed by name had before, and Natsuki's expression softens. "Thank you for your concern. I'm just glad to be home."

“We’ve heard the rumours of your return, Natsuki-sama.” A woman carrying a child on her arm is the next person to make Natsuki pause- Ohya, she thinks that’s her name, who occasionally mans the counter at the bakery?- and she leans forward as though to deliver a conspiratorial whisper. “Please, do not be troubled by them. We are just happy to see you alive and well- no matter the means.”  
  
“That means a lot to me, Ohya-san. Thank you.” Another startled smile- so she’d been right, after all. As Natsuki leans down to wave at the baby, who hides his face bashfully in the crook of Ohya’s neck, she idly comments, “I haven’t stopped by the bakery in a while. How’s business been?”  
  
“Ah, it’s all the usual. Kichiro’s trying out some new recipes lately- if you drop by sometime, we’d love to let you try some of the latest creations!”  
  
“Thanks for the offer, I’ll be sure to make some time for a visit!”

The rest of the journey through town goes along in a very similar fashion. She’d stop to talk to some of the people she recognises, and for the ones she doesn’t, she tries to commit their names to memory. There are a few questions about the validity of the rumours of her newly-outed abilities, and some wary glances from several people, but she handles them best as she can- though she has to admit, it really stings when parents pull their children away from her with shivers of fear in their signature. Tatsumi doesn’t really say much of anything along the way unless someone addresses him, but he does place a hand on her shoulder or make an idle comment to distract her when he notices the occasional glare. It’s a small show of solidarity, and Natsuki doesn’t really _need_ the assurance, but it’s alleviating nonetheless.

About halfway through town, just as she walked past the island’s main middle school and towards the shop lots leading to the administrative district, the sound of rapid footsteps approaching greets Natsuki's ears. She barely takes a second to recognise the signature before she turns around, only just catching a glimpse of navy blue eyes and jet black hair rounding the corner before she's enveloped in a strong hug that almost sends her toppling backwards with its force. Natsuki catches the person in her arms almost instinctively, a slight laugh bubbling from her lips as she senses the tremble of relief in Yura’s chakra. Next to her, Tatsumi smiles fondly at the sight.

“Hey there, Yura-chan.” Natsuki carefully puts down the girl in her arms and gives her a clear view of her lips as she speaks, idly straightening out her school uniform as she does so. Yura looks at her with teary eyes, rubbing her arm over her face as she stubbornly tries to pull herself together, and Natsuki shoots her what she hopes is a comforting grin while she reverts to signing. ‘I’m okay. I’m sorry for worrying you.’  
  
‘Is it true?’ The twelve year-old’s hands move rapidly as she presents the same question Natsuki’s been asked all morning. ‘You’re a shinobi?’

‘No.’ Natsuki quickly elaborates when Yura looks at her in confusion. ‘I just happen to know a few jutsu, that’s all. I used that to come back here.’

‘You’re not leaving, right? Not like Hiroki-jiichan?’

Tatsumi’s chakra twitches with worry when Yura signs the familiar name, but Natsuki keeps her gaze on Yura when she signs back, ‘Never.’ Konoha would have to drag her there piece by piece if they ever wanted her to step foot in that godforsaken village.

Another familiar signature approaches- one that Natsuki recognises as Yura’s father, Michio. The man seems somewhat relieved when he catches sight of his daughter- it looks like she’d separated from him on their way to school. Yura’s always been more alert than anyone gave her credit for, and she must have caught wind of her presence from the way people were talking in the streets.

“Hagiwara-san, I’m sorry for the interruption,” Michio says as he places a hand on Yura’s shoulder, shooting her a chastising look. Natsuki merely waves off the unnecessary apology.

“It’s no problem, really. I’m glad to see her- and you as well, Onozawa-san.”  
  
“That’s what I should be saying to you. Your disappearance really had us all worried- it’s nothing short of a miracle that you’ve returned to us without any injury.” Natsuki can only nod politely at that- everyone’s either called her return a blessing or an omen, and she’s glad that Michio’s of the opinion that it’s the former.

“I wish everyone saw it that way.”

“They’ll learn to deal with it. Their fear is irrational- it’s not as though you’ve ever tried to hurt any of us before.”  
  
“I guess that depends on who you ask,” Natsuki quips, earning an almost derisive snort from Mishio- she even hears Tatsumi stifling a laugh with a feigned cough. “Thank you for your concern, Onozawa-san. I really do appreciate it.” She then turns towards Yura, and flicks her forehead gently as she teases, “But _somebody_ needs to get to school now, doesn’t she?”

‘I’m still early!’ Yura pouts, but all that reaction does is make Natsuki’s grin widen. Mishio chuckles at his daughter’s expression as well, placing a hand on her head and ruffling her short bob cut without quite messing it up.  
  
“Well, we won’t keep you any longer- and please, don’t be bothered by the few who would sully your name over this, Hagiwara-san.” With reverence in his tone, Mishio bows his head respectfully and adds, “Waves welcomes you home.”

Natsuki normally feels embarrassed when anyone addresses her so formally, and she still feels a slight bit of colour rushing to her face- but otherwise, she finds something warm nestling behind her ribs at the words. She’s heard that greeting countless times over the past few hours since her return- but each time someone else says it, the feeling of _home_ sets in just a little deeper in a way she’s never truly felt before, and she can’t help but smile.

"It's good to be back."

* * *

 

“Kaa-san’s going to be late?” Natsuki fails to keep the disbelief from leaking into her tone at her mother’s announcement, sitting on the couch in the Ōnami’s office in a way that she hasn’t done since she was a child. With her being on medical leave for the week, Natsuki isn’t allowed near her own office- but thankfully Ayano has been kind enough to at least let her stay here as a sounding board for anything that comes up. She’s still not allowed to touch any paperwork or review any new projects, but it’s better than being left to rot.

“The commissioner informed me that she'd given them a notice that she’d be returning separately from the main group. It seems she’s encountered a problem on the mainland, but she sent her assurance that she’s safe and well.”

“That’s... not very convincing.” Even Ayano hums in agreement with her statement- Natsuki feels a pang of sadness when she notices the way her mother’s lips thin into a firm line. It’s a small change, but Natsuki recognises it as a sign of genuine concern. She can’t imagine how stressful dealing with the aftermath of her kidnapping must be from her position. “I could call on one of the tigers and ask them to verify that.”  
  
That earns her a dubious look from her mother as her eyes flicker away from the form she’d just signed. “Didn’t the doctor say you'd  exhausted your chakra reserves?”  
  
“She did, but…” Natsuki fails to think of a proper excuse- she’s recovering rather well from her chakra exhaustion, all things considered, but Ayano had been there when Doctor Hasegawa had made a house call to examine her condition last night. The doctor had promptly declared that she needed to avoid using her chakra extensively until she’d taken at least a week off to recover- and while her mother doesn’t know much about the shinobi arts, she knows that the summoning jutsu takes a lot out of her.

Ayano sighs, though her weariness isn’t really directed at her as she rubs her eye, seemingly fatigued. When had she last slept? “If Kaoru said she’s fine, let’s have faith in her. She said she’ll return tomorrow, so we’ll give her time.”

“Hopefully I’ll have the patience to wait until then,” Natsuki murmurs, earning yet another reprimanding look from Ayano, though this time it seems a little more half-hearted.  
  
“This has something to do with that thing you want to tell us about?” At the question, Natsuki has to keep herself from stiffening in surprise. It had admittedly slipped her mind that she’d promised to tell her mother about a rather important detail she’d left out in her recounting of what happened. Something she needed Kaoru to know, as well.

She’d promised Hoshigaki that she wouldn’t out him to the authorities, but… these are her _parents_. She owes them some form of transparency.  
  
“It’s not urgent, so it's fine.”

“Hm.” Ayano’s eyes dart back towards the next file she draws out from the small pile on her desk, before she casually asks, “It wouldn’t have something to do with the fact that you’re using that bracelet to hide that your soul mark has slowed, would it?”

This time, Natsuki doesn’t hide her look of surprise. She’d felt her heartbeat stutter at first, but after taking a moment to consider the fact that she was going to tell her anyway- and accepting that she needs to be careful about underestimating her mother’s keen eyes- she asks, “When did you notice?”

Ayano’s lips curve upwards, evidently pleased that she’d hit the nail on the head. “Your sleeve slipped a bit when the doctor was checking on you. Kaoru mentioned that the tigers noticed it slowing down, but I don’t think it had been _that_ slow.” Ayano puts down her work for a moment, and Natsuki detects a glint of excitement in her chakra as she leans forward with intrigue. “So, how did you meet them? What were they like?”

“Okaa-chan-” Before Natsuki can urge her to save this for later, when they’ll be at home with the right security seals to prevent unwanted eavesdropping, there’s a knock on the office door.  
  
“Ōnami-sama, Natsuki-sama, pardon the interruption,” Kiyoko says apologetically as she opens the door to allow her head to peek inside- Natsuki notes the same pattern she’s followed for years now with slight amusement. “There’s a shinobi from Konoha here to see you- he says he’s here in response to your missive.”

The mere mention of that village immediately drains the positivity from Natsuki’s mood. Shit, she’d hoped that the message informing them that help was no longer necessary would have intercepted any aid they might have sent. Her luck has just been terrible as of late.

“Thank you for telling me- please, send him in.” A quick nod from Kiyoko, and the secretary disappears with the door closing behind her. Ayano breathes out a short huff, reaching up to smooth down her hair with an expression of mild surprise on her face. “That was fast. I just sent out the retraction of my request for aid this morning.”

“At least there’s only one of them,” Natsuki says coolly, earning a glance from her mother. She wishes she wouldn't look at her like that- sympathetic and yet scolding- but Natsuki maintains her neutral expression. “Less hassle that way.”

“I’m sure he's just here to help, Nacchan.”    
  
“We can send him back on his way. I’m already back safe and sound.”

“Even so…” Before Kaoru can properly put her thoughts into words, Natsuki senses the presence behind the door. The sheer volume of the approaching chakra is almost enough to make her breath hitch- it's not swirling at full capacity, but there’s still so _much_ of it it’s ridiculous - and she turns her head towards the office entrance with a sharp look. The approaching chakra is distinctly fire-inclined, but there's something else underneath it. Something that she knows is present yet can't quite grasp, as it slips through her senses whenever she tries to focus on it. It’s an empty space, something and yet nothing all at once- the same as Masami’s chakra.

“They sent a sage,” Natsuki mutters, her heart rate spiking as she makes the connection. Ayano abruptly stops midway through her sentence, looking at her with confusion just before a knock sounds on the door. When the door opens, Natsuki straightens her posture and places her hands on her lap, trying to appear as distinguished as possible- but that doesn't stop her stomach from dropping when she sees the tall, broad-shouldered shinobi dressed in red and green standing in the doorway.

The horned silver headpiece and the almost ridiculously thick mane of long white hair is instantly recognisable, and Natsuki wishes it wasn't.

“Good afternoon, Ōnami-sama! I'm sorry for intruding without prior notice- Konoha has sent me in response to your call for aid.” Eyes lined in red paint that trail past high cheekbones turn towards Natsuki, and she is very careful not to stiffen with trepidation. With a respectful incline of his head, the shinobi maintains his jovial tone as he says, “Hagiwara-san. I must say it's both a surprise and a relief to see that you're safe and sound.”

The polite smile Natsuki wears on her face feels like it's been frozen in place. Someone in Konoha- _three guesses who-_ has decided that this case is important enough to warrant the attention of Jiraiya the Toad Sage. One of the Sannin, and the village’s top spymaster, is here to investigate her kidnapping.

There’s absolutely no way this could get any worse.

* * *

 

Jiraiya has to admit, he'd been sceptical at first when Minato had sent one of the toads to intercept his return from Amegakure just to send him on an investigation in the Land of Waves, but so far Natsuki Hagiwara's case has been more interesting than he'd expected.

The files he’d read on her had already clarified her status as a descendant of the Uzumaki, but there had been nothing to indicate that she'd actually been trained in the shinobi arts- which, apparently, even Kushina had deliberately been keeping mum about. Not that he could blame her- had they known about this back when the war was still going on, the village might have snapped her up in an instant to back up their efforts. As it is, the only reason they hadn't done so was… well, that's something even he doesn't like to think about. Konoha has many secrets of her own, none of which are particularly pleasant, and he's just glad that Minato has been working to put some of those demons to rest.

Hagiwara’s newly revealed abilities alone would have been surprising enough, but the fact that she'd managed to escape and return home before Konoha could assemble a team _and_ had presented two corpse scrolls containing the culprits- that raises even his eyebrows. The local investigators had managed to name the two shinobi sealed within the scroll- the autopsy reports on the bodies had been interesting, to say the least; he never knew the Tiger summons were capable of such damage- and had identified them as former chuunin from Yugakure. For an unranked civilian... being able to take down two such individuals is no small feat.

It could also raise many alarms back home, some of which could be redirected to rather unsavoury individuals. But that's why Minato had sent him instead of another team- Jiraiya has to say, he's proud of having trained such an intuitive student.  
  
So here he is, sitting in an empty meeting room with the woman who had been kidnapped in the first place, and trying to question her on just how this had all gone down. There's a pot of tea on the table with two cups for Hagiwara and himself, and she's taking careful sips from hers- Jiraiya politely does the same, though he also takes the opportunity though he takes the opportunity to observe the Ōnami’s heir from over the rim of his cup.  
  
At first glance, Hagiwara's easy on the eyes- something in those Uzumaki genetics, he swears- but she's also got this somewhat wary look in her gaze that has him wondering if that's always been there, or if it's just a reaction to him in particular. Kushina did mention there might be a low likelihood that she'd respond well to the presence of Leaf-nin after what happened all those years ago, but this seems less like hostility and more like caution. Given what he'd read of Hagiwara's case file and her less than pleasant encounters with shinobi over the years, he supposes he might attribute it to trauma, especially in light of recent events. Jiraiya likes to think that he paints the image of approachability, but even he can't do much to assuage a scared civilian if she's not willing to let him try.  
  
"So, Hagiwara-san." Jiraiya decides to kick off the conversation with a grin, which Hagiwara returns with a cordial smile of her own. That's a good enough start. "I know you've probably had to do this whole song and dance already with the local cops-" She has, he's read the reports. "-but I'd like to hear the story from you again, if you wouldn't mind."  
  
"Of course, Jiraiya-san." Despite the incline of her head, her eyes never leave once leave his- there's that shinobi training leaking into her mannerisms. "Where would you like me to begin?"  
  
"Maybe start at the very top. How did these shinobi manage to get you?"  
  
Hagiwara nods, and begins relaying the tale of how she'd managed to take on two trained shinobi almost entirely on her own, somehow turning their underestimation of her against them. Her retelling of the fight is sloppy, and she seems to have trouble recollecting the details, but it's cohesive enough. He'd place her report at about genin-level at best, with the lack of detail on the enemies and barely any explanation for the reasoning behind her actions- it seems like it's just mindless, instinctive combat. He can't clear the possibility that she's deliberately withholding information, though- and so he prods a little deeper.  
  
"What I don't understand, Hagiwara-san," Jiraiya begins slowly, watching her reaction as he does so. Hagiwara meets his eyes with a hint of surprise- it's not enough to deduce her innocence or lack thereof, but she does seem understandably wary. "Is how you came into the possession of two perfectly viable body scrolls. It seems rather convenient that you just had them on hand." She'd said that she'd taken them from her tiger's possession, but summons don't just _happen_ to carry around shinobi materials.  
  
"I found them amongst my grandfather's belongings," she answers clearly, but her tone trembles slightly and she averts her eyes, blinking a little faster than before. Jiraiya recognises the sore spot he'd prodded at- Hiroki Uzumaki's passing hadn't been all that long ago, and through his personal acquaintance with Kushina, he knows the loss had devastated Hagiwara. "I gave most of the battle equipment he left behind to my tigers for safekeeping. It just... it didn't feel right to just store them away."  
  
An action taken to move on from grief that had turned into a lifesaving decision. Jiraiya wonders at such luck- it's not the most outlandish notion, but he still has to cover all the bases. "And then you decided on taking the bodies of these ninja with you before starting your journey back. What motivated that decision?"  
  
"Well, after I- I'd killed them." Hagiwara audibly paused there for a moment, the look in her eyes growing slightly distant- Jiraiya can't help the sliver of pity he feels for the young woman. The first kill is always the hardest, and even if she'd been trained in the shinobi arts, nothing really prepares one for the moment they first take another's life. "It just made sense to grab the bodies since I had the means to. I didn't know if there were reinforcements who would find the remains and continue to hunt me down again, and I thought it would at least be able to help if I made it back to report what happened."  
  
That logic is simple enough, and Jiraiya nods in acknowledgement. Not every civilian would have gotten straight to that conclusion on what to do, but given Hagiwara's less than common upbringing, it makes sense that she'd be able to keep a reasonably clear head. "It was a smart move. Being able to identify the bodies definitely helps with the investigation.  
  
"That's good to know." Hagiwara suddenly turns her head away, a hand coming up to cover her mouth- and Jiraiya recognises her sudden pallor and the slight tremble in her frame. He's seen it all too many times in new genin after their first big mission- specifically their first kill. "Sorry. All of this feels like it's only just sinking in."  
  
Probably a delayed response to all the stress she's been under. Jiraiya's only surprised it's taken this long- shock affects different people in different ways, but for a person who hasn't been trained to handle the mental stress that comes with being a shinobi, it's a wonder that Hagiwara hadn't cracked until now. With what he hopes is a gentle voice, Jiraiya says, "There's no need to apologise, Hagiwara-san. You've been through a lot over the past few days, but on behalf of Konoha, we appreciate your cooperation in this matter."  
  
Hagiwara blinks rapidly, deep brown eyes peering up at him past her lashes, and Jiraiya's hand itches for his notebook. He can feel a new prose writing itself in his head- a princess in mourning, still maintaining her delicate poise moments before being swept up into the main character's arms- but he stows it away for later. He's got a mission to focus on, and an important one at that. If Minato's hunch is right, there could be something here- an important piece that could finally tip the scales.  
  
"Thank you for understanding, Jiraiya-san. I'm sorry you had to see me like this." Hagiwara sniffs, shooting him a small, almost shy smile as she composes herself once more. Compared to the other Uzumaki descendants he knows, Jiraiya is admittedly surprised at how prim and demure Hagiwara is in comparison- the epitome of grace, in his opinion. He really wants to write that princess character now. "Is there anything else you wish to ask?"  
  
Jiraiya takes a moment to consider that, reviewing what she's told him once again. "If you can recall anything your captors might have said, it might help point us in the right direction. Do you perhaps have any idea what their motives might have been, or any clue as to what they'd planned to do after capturing you?"  
  
Hagiwara's eyes drift off to the side, contemplative. "I'm not sure about their motives, but thinking back on it- I think they might have mentioned a name, when discussing their arrival at the Land of Sound." It takes a lot for him not to freeze at that. "I wasn't sure I’d heard right, but if it might help with the investigation…”

“What did they say?”

“I'm positive I heard those shinobi mention the name... ‘Orochimaru’.”  
  
"I see." This is news. This is another step closer to the confirmation he's been searching for. Jiraiya is careful not to clutch at his wrist, trying not to let this information overwhelm him. Why hadn't she mentioned this before? "Is that all you can remember?"  
  
To his disappointment, Hagiwara nods, an apologetic look on her face. "I'm sorry, Jiraiya-san. My memories of the journey are hazy- but I'm certain they didn't drop anything else. They seemed to be in a rush, that's all I can recall."

Jiraiya eyes the Ōnami's heir with suspicion, trying to decipher if she's telling a lie- but as far as he knows, there's absolutely no reason for her to do so. She obviously wants this case closed and finished as soon as anyone else, especially seeing as she's the victim of this particular crime. A genuine lapse in attention, then- something she hadn't been entirely sure of that had been brushed to the back of her mind amidst everything else that had happened. He'd just been lucky he'd asked the right questions to bring it back to the foreground- though what exactly this means is... vague. 

"Very well. That's more than enough information, I should think." It isn't all he'd hoped for, but it's more than he'd expected- and he's pretty sure this is about all he's going to get. With an incline of his head and another friendly expression on his face, Jiraiya says, "Thank you very much for your cooperation, Hagiwara-san. I assure you, we'll get to the bottom of this in no time."  
  
"I hope so."

“Oh, and if any other shinobi comes by to ask what happened here, you can tell them that you've already had a report filed back to Konoha. There's no need for you to go through this whole Q&A again.” He can't rule out the possibility that the delay in the update on Hagiwara’s situation could cause some logistical clashes- or that _someone_ might send their own personal lackeys to dig around anyway. ROOT has been quiet since the last time Jiraiya had caught their agents in Ame, but there’s no predicting for sure what goes on in that organisation.

“I understand.” Hagiwara tilts her head towards him, a bright, grateful smile on her face that makes her look leagues more radiant than the morose expression she'd worn before. “Thank you, Jiraiya-san. I really do appreciate your assistance on this.”

“Always happy to help, Hagiwara-san. I doubt Kushina-chan wouldn't be too pleased if I didn't do this much for one of her own.”

For the first time, Jiraiya catches a flash of emotion over Hagiwara's face- he can't tell what it is, but it's gone before he can wonder about it. She covers her mouth with a hand when she giggles- he idly takes note of her covered wrist; looks like she's taken after all- and says, “I suppose she wouldn't. I hope this will assuage her worries, then.”

“I'm sure it will.” Jiraiya nods, taking yet more mental notes on Hagiwara’s habits and actions for reference. Her initial reaction earlier still seemed odd- though perhaps he'd just imagined it. Kushina had spoken fondly of her distant cousin way back when, and she still wears that bracelet that Hagiwara had apparently given her years ago, so they’re obviously on good terms. Maybe he'd just taken her by surprise.

Whatever the case, Jiraiya brushes away that thought in favour of focusing on the more important picture here. As Hagiwara guides them both out of the room and back to the building entrance, Jiraiya begins to formulate an idea on what might have gone down. He's been keeping an eye on the demilitarised Yugakure for any suspicious activity for a while now, and he's taken note of strange… disappearances amongst the ninja there. Sure, most of those cases had involved defectors who weren't keen on retiring peacefully, but there had also been very young shinobi amongst the presumed defectors- some fresh grads, and even some from the academy. Besides that, the fact that these two perpetrators had known to go to the newly christened Land of Sound to seek Orochimaru- yet another suspicion he hadn't had any real confirmation about- only further generates questions. How had _they_ known, when even Konoha hadn't been sure? Were they sent by Orochimaru himself, or is something else at play here?

There are a few answers he can guess at- and it's just Hagiwara’s luck that she'd been a convenient target. A target whose bloodline only a select few should have had truly solid suspicions about.

He has to get this news back to Minato as soon as possible- and maybe spend some free time scribbling in his notebook along the way. He has a new story to write.

* * *

As soon as Natsuki steps into her apartment and feels the security seals reactivate, she slumps against the door and exhales the relieved sigh that she’s suppressed ever since Jiraiya had left the meeting room earlier that day. It’s been a while since she’s had to wear the facade of a cautious, yet innocently clueless civilian- and she's not missed it one bit.

The distress at killing those two shinobi hadn’t been entirely feigned, but most certainly exaggerated, and she feels almost dirty for having to resort to that to prevent any deeper questioning. Natsuki hadn’t expected to have to pull the Orochimaru card either, but well… at least she knows Jiraiya will report straight to the Hokage, which is more than she can say about the rest of Konoha’s ninja. That little titbit would almost certainly get them off her case and redirect their focus to Sound Country- and she’d be all the better for it, what with everything else she has to deal with.

Besides, it’s not like this bit of premature bit of information is going to mean anything. Natsuki’s long since abandoned her fear of altering the future- and any hope of Konoha actually doing anything of substance. Not when they sleep on even the monsters within their own walls.

Without really meaning to, Natsuki’s eyes drift towards the small dresser against the wall closest to the entrance, staring at the row of pictures arranged along the top- and the one photo frame that’s remained face down, hidden behind the rest for the past two years. Pushing herself back to her feet, Natsuki reaches out to pick up the seemingly innocuous picture- only to stop herself just as her fingers hover a scant few centimetres above the frame. She knows what lies beneath it, the image all but burned into her mind, but… no, it doesn’t matter. She doesn’t need to see it.

Pulling back her hand, Natsuki turns away from the dresser and instead seeks out the switch for the ceiling fan and lights, flicking them on and allowing herself yet another sigh- she hates how her hand shakes from such a simple action. As she walks towards the transparent sliding door leading out onto the balcony with the intent to pull up the blinds and let some light in, she pulls off her bracelet and stuffs it inside her obi, idly scratching at her exposed skin. Pulling on the shutter strings, Natsuki does a mental recap of what’s in her fridge that she can use to make dinner- only for those thoughts to grind to an immediate halt when the shades lift to reveal something hanging on her clothesline that she doesn’t remember putting out to dry. Something she knows for a fact that she’d left on a random doorstep in Mihama.

“You’re kidding me,” she murmurs, staring in disbelief at the travelling cloak hanging on the wire. Her first instinct is to react with fear that this could be a warning from some unknown witness to her lies- but a second later, logic rules over that terror and urges her to check her surroundings.

Natsuki immediately casts out her senses, trying to get a feel for any foreign signature- but damn it, whoever put this here is either really good at hiding their presence if they're nearby, or she’s losing her touch. However, on the off-chance that she’s being watched- whether by Jiraiya or Hoshigaki or maybe even someone she isn’t aware of- she makes sure to refrain from reacting outwardly. Instead, she carefully releases the locking seals on the door and pushes it out of the way, walking onto the small balcony and taking down the cloak as though it's the most casual occurrence in the world before retreating indoors yet again.

Shutting the blinds once more, Natsuki briefly considers spending the next day writing more anti-intrusion seals into the balcony that she'd neglected as she placing the cloak on the sofa sitting opposite of her TV. Against her better instincts telling her to stop using up her energy, Natsuki joins her hands together in the Bird seal, feeling her chakra moving up her neck and towards her head in response. Almost immediately, she feels her sensory skills sharpen, and Natsuki closes her eyes as she focuses on the cloak. The traces of her own chakra are the strongest and most obvious- and so is the roil of breaking waves she’s come to associate with Hoshigaki. There’s no other prominent individual signature attached to the cloak, much to Natsuki’s relief- so that erases the possibility that someone’s found her out. This is just Hoshigaki reminding her of his presence.

She can also sense him lurking in the forested area about three kilometres west of where she is- though with how well he’s suppressing his chakra, she could easily have mistaken it for a small animal if she hadn't spent a whole day getting used to his sword’s disturbing signature. Jiraiya’s is just a block over, in one of the smaller hotels on the outskirts of the business district with his immense chakra circling his coils at the same relaxed pace as it had been all day.

Content with knowing that there’s no one particularly outstanding stalking her at that moment, Natsuki releases the jutsu and lets herself fall back onto the sofa, sprawling over the cloak she’d laid out and not caring for how she might wrinkle it. She can feel a slight headache building behind her temples at the strain on her still-recovering reserves, and when Natsuki thinks of the fact that she has to remake her Yin Energy Dispersal seal too, she utters a quiet curse under her breath. Hoshigaki really couldn’t have thought of a less cryptic way to deliver his message, huh?

“Just _had_ to be a shinobi,” Natsuki mutters, looking at her compass a withering glare. There are few options she could think of worse than this arrangement- like maybe Madara, _gods forbid_ \- but seriously? All the people in this universe, and she got soul-bound to the Kiri-born shinobi who had _wanted_ to give the world up for that Eye of the Moon plan- which happens to be the exact fate she's trying to pretend doesn't await, even now.

Gods, having a soulmate _sucks_.

* * *

“Well aren't you looking just sprightly, Hagiwara-chan.”

Natsuki snorts at Tazuna’s pointed sarcasm, nursing a warm cup of honey milk in her hands and shooting the greying carpenter a wry look as he walks up to her usual seat at the Furihata establishment.

“Thanks, I'm sure these eyebags do wonders to bring out the glow in my complexion.” As she speaks, she gestures to the dark circles beneath her eyes, and the carpenter huffs out a laugh of his own while he slides into the seat next to her. Tsunami pauses to greet her father with a brief kiss on the cheek before returning to her task of delivering food to a table, and the old man grunts in return.

“Heard that Yoshiko had a complete breakdown when she saw you.” Natsuki snorts quietly- that, she had. Yoshiko had all but tackled her when she'd dropped by to visit her and her brother yesterday, cried a little, and then made her swear she would never scare her like that again. Tazuna’s next words, however, quickly wipe Natsuki’s smirk from her face. “And that you've been running all over the place ever since you came back. Ever thought of giving yourself a break?”

“I just thought to let everyone see that I'm okay,” Natsuki replies, which only earns a disdainful scoff from the master bridge-builder.

“The entire island already knows you're back. You don't need to keep parading yourself around.” The old man’s harsh tone softens slightly, a hint of concern leaking into his voice. “Everyone already guessed what you were capable of a long time ago. You should be focusing on getting some rest- you just got kidnapped, for gods’ sake.”

“I know. But the idea of the confirmation that the next Ōnami is a potential ninja-”

“Won't sit well with everyone.” Tazuna finishes her sentence for her, and the towel across his neck shifts as he waves his hand dismissively. “So what? There were people who didn't like you even before this, and it's never stopped you from doing your job. What do a few more negative opinions matter?”

“I need people to know I'm not what they might think- and that I don't intend on turning us into a shinobi state,” Waves was formed _because_ shinobi wars had torn their ancestors’ homes apart and forced them to migrate elsewhere. Their entire country was founded on the fact that they needed safety from such conflicts- not that they'd be _joining_ them. Natsuki sighs, rubbing a hand over her face as she tries to shake off the doubtful stares she’d received over the past two days. “If a little more effort will assure them that I won't sell us out, I can afford it.”

“A noble cause for sure, Natsuki-hime.” A familiar voice interjects. Natsuki shoots Akira a half-hearted glare at the title he'd deliberately dropped, but the chef is unbothered as he leans his elbows on the counter and continues, “But you're doing no one any favours if you're half-dead on your feet. This week off was supposed to be dedicated to your rest- not a circus for you to perform and appease the crowds.”

Tazuna nods in approval- he's always held his apprentice’s brother in rather high regard. “The boy’s right. How do you think the people feel seeing their future leader looking like this?” A slight pause, and when Akira gestures to ask for his order, Tazuna says, “One bowl of egg noodles, Akira-kun.”

“Right away, Tazuna-san.” Akira’s dark grey eyes flicker over to Natsuki again, and he shrugs in her direction. “You listen to your elders now, Natsuki-san. He has a point.”

The baleful look Natsuki tosses Akira’s way is all he needs before his serious composure breaks, lips twitching into a smirk before he sneaks back into the kitchen like a coward. Holding back yet another sigh, Natsuki stirs her cup with the teaspoon while she shoots Tazuna a tired, but grateful smile. The old man is tough, with a caustic tongue that could rival her own wit, but he would never have spoken to her about this if he hadn't been genuinely concerned. “I'm going to go home to rest later. Thank you for the advice, Tazuna-san- I appreciate it, really.”

Tazuna shrugs, but there's a relaxation to his posture and he has a looser grip on his crossed arms compared to before. “All due respect, you're going to need more than just one day of rest to get rid of _those_ eyebags, Hagiwara-chan.”

“Wouldn't be me without them, Tazuna-san.” Natsuki raises her cup as though she's toasting to that statement, though she does make a mental note to get more of that colour correcting cream from the Earth merchants the next time some of them are in town. They really did make some of the most comfortable and long lasting makeup on the Continent- though the variety of available pigments from Wind Country still far exceeds any other.

The conversation between her and Tazuna takes a more casual turn following that- mostly about their families and comments on how progress on the bridge is going. He doesn't ask much about the recent events the way everyone else has, likely because he's heard the accounts from either Tsunami or Yoshiko, and Natsuki appreciates that. She'd been getting rather tired of dealing with the barrage of questions about her kidnapping, and it's nice to be able to talk about anything else.

It helps her take her mind off the fact that Jiraiya still hasn't left town yet, the implications of outsiders knowing her bloodline, and the travelling cloak that she'd folded and tucked away in a corner of her dresser.

When Natsuki bids farewell to Tazuna and the rest of her friends in the restaurant, she takes to the streets with the full intent of going home just as she said she would. She still does her best to smile and talk to anyone who stops to speak to her, but the result of barely any sleep is making itself known. Along the way she’d encountered the parents of a couple of kids she'd taught during her years as a teacher, and they’d asked if she was feeling ill. Natsuki had to reassure them that she'd just had a fitful sleep- and not that she'd been up all night repainting a seal to silence her nightmares.

It isn’t until she feels a specific signature approaching her that she decides she might have to put a hold on that nap she’s so looking forward to. Just before Jiraiya falls into step next to her, Natsuki mentally prepares herself for the encounter, slipping on that mask of innocence and feigning surprise when the Sannin enters her vision.

“Good morning, Hagiwara-san. How’re you feeling this morning?” Jiraiya waves his hand in a salute, still wearing an almost disarmingly genuine smile on his face. Natsuki has to wonder just how much of the man’s enthusiastic, sociable nature is feigned and how much is truly genuine.

“Jiraiya-san, I'm doing alright,” she replies cordially. Natsuki’s eyes flicker towards the bags on his back, and she asks, “Are you headed off already?”

“Investigations here seem to be going smoothly without my intervention, so there's no reason for me to hang around.” In other words, he had all the information he needed to scurry back to his village and snitch on her. “Konoha will keep in touch with Waves in case any progress is made, so don't you worry about that.”

“I appreciate the assurance, Jiraiya-san. Thank you for your time here, your help really has put us all at ease.” Natsuki softens her features and puts on a small smile, earning a confident grin from Jiraiya in response. It's almost laughable how easy it is to string along one of the world’s most powerful shinobi just by being a woman and cranking up the charm factor. With a tilt of her head, she asks, “I assume you're headed to the Northern ferry terminal?”

“Yep. You headed my way?” She wasn't, but she decides she can afford a slight detour just to keep up appearances.

“I was going to see if my mother had returned yet.”

“Kaoru-san, right? Heard about her delay- I hope she makes it back alright.”

“She will.” That, Natsuki can say with surety. Her mom may have been retired from the shinobi world for years now, but she hadn't earned her rank without working for it. Jiraiya seems to hum in agreement- no doubt the man knows what her mom’s capable of; there's no way Konoha would have let any known, living Uzumaki go unrecorded- but otherwise doesn't say anything. They walk along in silence for a while, Natsuki treading the familiar path through town and towards the edge of the island with practised ease- but what Jiraiya says next catches her completely off-guard.

“Your soulmate’s not with you today?”

Natsuki’s heart jumps into her throat. No, relax, there's no way he knows. There's no way- _no, there is a way, he’s Konoha’s best spymaster, what does he know?_

Even as panic sends a hundred thoughts of escape running through her head, Natsuki swallows her initial shock somehow and manages to feign confusion as she glances at the Toad Sage. “I'm sorry?”

“Oh, well, you keep your wrist covered, so I assumed you had one of these soul marks, too.” The shinobi taps on his own wrist, and Natsuki isn't sure yet what to make of his casual tone.

“I do- but I've not yet met my soulmate. The movement of the compass just distracts me, so I prefer to keep it hidden.” She shrugs, trying to appear nonchalant. Natsuki can guess how he'd come to that conclusion- most people liked to cover their wrists once they'd met their destined partner- but still, she is careful to keep her guard up.

“Really?” His surprise seems genuine enough, and from the way his chakra hasn’t once wavered, Natsuki wonders if she's in the clear. Jiraiya scratches his chin, seemingly contemplative. “Well, that explains it. I wondered why a lady like yourself would be wandering around town all on your own- thought your partner was that Arikawa fella.”

So, he'd been keeping an eye on her when she'd been going around town with Tatsumi the other day. Natsuki laughs politely, lifting her hand to cover her lips before she says, “Oh, no. Tatsu’s my closest friend, but we're not seeing each other.”

“Ah, I see. You waiting on your compass, then?”

“Not in particular. We'll just have to see what happens.” It's hard not to grimace at the assumption, but Natsuki manages to maintain her smile. It surprises her somewhat that Jiraiya has a soulmate, but from the way she'd sensed his chakra jump yesterday during the interrogation, she could guess at who it might be. She kind of hopes she's wrong about that though- shinobi or not, she can’t imagine how painful that betrayal had been from the hands of his soul-bound partner.

Waves’ Northern port is brimming with activity when they arrive, as it always is. Be it the foreign visitors and merchants docking at their shores or the locals living in the fishing villages along the coast, there are countless people milling about every other day- and it's always set Natsuki a little on edge. She's never done too well with crowds, and on top of her most recent encounter with strangers on her home turf, she feels a lot more paranoid than usual. Each time an unfamiliar signature comes into range, Natsuki finds herself assessing them for any threat and looking around for any possible escape routes, all the while keeping her hands laced behind her back so that she has less obvious access to the carved storage seal on her bracelet, where she's stored one of her favourite daggers.

“Hagiwara-sensei!” A youthful voice calls out from somewhere to her right, and Natsuki nearly jumps at the unexpected interruption. Looking over, she sees a teenage boy standing on a boat that’s just headed out to sea, and she relaxes slightly when she recognises his signature- one of the kids she used to teach at school. He's waving at her with both arms, and the old man opposite of him seems to be chastising him for jostling their ride, but Natsuki waves back with a slight laugh. “Welcome back!”

“Don't rock the boat so much, Sho-kun!”

“Got it, sensei!”

“You sure seem to be popular around here,” Jiraiya comments, and he sounds strangely appreciative. Natsuki has to wonder why something like this should seem so surprising to him, though she chuckles politely as they continue their trek through the fishing village leading to the ferry terminal.

“I'd hope so. I wouldn't exactly make for a good leader if my people didn't like me,” she replies, and her words earn a bark of laughter from the Toad Sage.

“That's some sound logic. We could do with more people who thought along those lines.”

“Well that certainly inspires confidence in the established hierarchy now, doesn't it?” She replies, to which Jiraiya's amused smile only seems to grow. Before he can reply, however, the honk of a loud ship horn draws their attention, and they both turn towards the large vessel approaching the ferry port in the distance. It's rather close by now- Natsuki would guess that it'd be at the docks in about five minutes, which doesn’t exactly leave much time for the shinobi to keep up this slow-paced walk.

“Looks like I'm going to have to rush ahead to catch that boat,” Jiraiya mutters as he shoots her an apologetic look. “I'll have to take my leave here, Hagiwara-san- sorry we couldn't have taken a nicer walk.”

“Don't worry about it. Have a safe journey, Jiraiya-san.” Natsuki links her hands together in front of her before bowing slightly in farewell, and she feels- yet again- a slight spike of excitement and inspiration from Jiraiya's chakra… whatever the hell that means for her. However, the Toad Sage merely lowers himself into a wide, sweeping bow in response, still wearing that confident smile on his face before he disappears in the next second, leaving her alone along the docks.

As soon as he's gone, Natsuki breathes another quiet sigh of relief, giving herself a mental pat on the back for keeping up the act there. Honestly, she'd be lying if she said she isn't impressed by how garishly dramatic the Sannin can be, but she isn't about to underestimate him based on that alone. She has to wonder at just how she'd managed to dodge that bullet with the whole soulmate question there- she'd been so sure he'd found her out, and she's glad he seems to have bought her excuses.

Natsuki just hopes she'll be able to get Hoshigaki out of her hair before all her elaborately crafted half-truths come to bite her in the ass. Lacing her hands against the back of her neck, she looks out at the ocean with exhaustion weighing down on her bones, taking comfort in the familiar, sharp smell of salt on the breeze and the soft lullaby of breaking waves along the exposed shoreline. She can't imagine how she'd lived her life before this, far from the sea and stuck in the middle of a city- not when all these years have made it impossible to separate the ocean from her thoughts of home.

Sometimes she wonders if she'll wake up one day, with her face and life from before, and if she would even be able to recognise the person in the mirror.

Her moment of contemplation is broken abruptly when she lazily stretches out her sensory range out of habit- and picks up on a very familiar chakra pattern amongst the distant crowd. Swivelling towards the bright spot of lightning chakra amidst the influx of people that had just arrived at the jetty, Natsuki has to reel in her excitement as she hurriedly continues her walk through the crowds. She doesn't stop to speak to anyone like she had before, only briefly returning any greetings thrown her way as she navigates the walkways leading towards her target. She almost can't believe her sheer luck- she hadn't expected her mom to return on the very first ferry she's seen today, but Natsuki would take all the blessings she could get.

As soon as she glimpses the head of silver hair and the light blue uniform, Natsuki’s face lips curl into a joyful grin when Kaoru turns to see her, violet eyes widening in surprise. Natsuki all but rushes towards her mom, who approaches her with her hands already reaching out to embrace her. The moment Natsuki has her arms around Kaoru, something truly final clicks into place that makes that last grip of anxiety retract its claws, assuring her that everything really is alright and that her family is safe, even after everything.

"Natsu.” Kaoru’s hands tighten around her, and Natsuki closes her eyes as she holds back the tears of relief that threaten to sprout. "You're safe. Thank the gods, you’re _safe_.”

"What about you? Why did you take so long to return?" Natsuki asks, pulling back slightly to see if there's any injury she might have missed. Her mom seems alright- spotless, even- and Kaoru places a hand and ruffles on her head to assure her she's fine, even though she has to reach up slightly to do so. Natsuki sometimes wonders at how she'd been able to overtake both her parents in height like this.

"It wasn't anything related to the kidnapping, don't worry. But..." There’s a gleam of anxious excitement in Kaoru’s eyes, and as she turns to look over her shoulder, she whispers, "I ran into some people from my old home.”

"Really?” Natsuki feels a jolt of anticipation- she'd been so caught up in all the other unfamiliar signatures in the area that she hadn't thought to pay attention to the two that had stopped in their tracks the same time that Kaoru had. Still, Natsuki turns her head to follow her mom's gaze, eager to see who these survivors of Uzushio are- only to stop and stare when she sees the duo standing just a ways behind them.

The first is an old woman with a crown of white hair braided over her shoulder and a scar over one of her pale, unseeing eyes. Her straight-backed posture gives her an almost regal air, and she holds a cane in her hands to help her navigate. A small child hides behind her long skirts- Natsuki assumes he's a boy from his build and stature- and when he peaks around the woman to look up at Natsuki, she catches a glimpse of overgrown orange hair and eyes that are just a touch darker than his vibrant locks.

Natsuki starts to smile at the child- it's not every day she meets someone with hair so bright that it rivals her own- but then she detects something in his chakra; something odd that makes her expression falter slightly. There are specks in his signature that she’s sensed only a few times before- empty spaces she can’t place in the midst of soft breezes and pebbles skipping across the water. The same fragments of _nothing yet something_ remind her of Masami and Jiraiya, but this one bears an almost sporadic undercurrent. It’s something uncontrollable… dangerous.

And why does he look so familiar?

"Natsuki.” Kaoru squeezes her shoulder, an eager smile on her face as she gestures towards her two guests. “Meet Mitsuha Aratani- and this is her grandson, Juugo.”

Oh. So that’s why.

...Oh, _fu-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So like the sonic the hedgehog live action trailer gave me physical chest pain and made me finish this chapter. Thank u sega! i never asked for this  
> Anyway, I'm gonna be basing a lot of Uzushio and to an extent Waves lore on southeast asian customs and old traditions. The kris from Hiroki is probably the most obvious hint on that end, and the tiger summon is also a less obvious allusion to this- tho the latter is a touch self-indulgent in that I wanted to plug my country's national animal in there lol.
> 
> Thanks for reading this chapter- and as always, thank you to everyone supporting this fic. I apologise for the lack of Kisame screentime this chapter, but i promise he'll be back in the next one!


	6. Surcease

A long time ago, there'd been a clan with the ability to harness such destructive power that they were considered beasts more than men. Their kekkei genkai had been the result of a mutation that culminated in the ability to generate natural energy instead of chakra alone- a skill that, to any sage in training, might have sounded like a blessing. This ability gave them the power to alter their own forms, granting them immense power and durability that could turn them into the ultimate weapon.

The only cost- their minds. In exchange for unimaginable physical prowess, those born with the Aratani clan’s kekkei genkai found themselves subject to the whims of insanity, leaving only terror and bloodshed in their wake.

Towards the end of the Warring States Era, the few remaining leaders of the clan saw that there would be no hope for their survival if nothing was done about their bloodlust-driven destruction. In order to ensure a future for their clan, the leaders had had gone to seek help from the most powerful fuuinjutsu masters in all the land, begging for help to keep their monsters at bay- and an agreement was decided upon. In exchange for their help, the Uzumaki and the Aratani clans would be bound by an alliance in the face of the impending changes in their world.

The most skilled masters of the Uzumaki had crafted a complex seal to help mitigate the effects of the clan's kekkei genkai, altering their bodies’ production of this energy so that it gave them some semblance of control and restraint. With it, the members of the clan were given the chance at a peaceful, normal life, no longer needing to fear that their own body would betray them and wreak destruction upon all they held dear. When the development of the first Hidden Villages dawned upon the world, the Aratani clan had settled on a home with their newfound allies in a land surrounded by whirlpools- and for the first time, there had been hope for their people.

Then a joined plot between the Lands of Water and Lightning had torn that sanctuary asunder, and decimated their clan. Countless of these fearsome warriors had died alongside their neighbours, desperately trying to preserve the only safe place for them in this world- and as far as Mitsuha Aratani knows, both herself and Juugo are the last of their legacy after the premature death of his father. Mitsuha had the luck of having been born during Uzushio's prime, when she'd been able to get her Natural Energy Repressor Seal done in her childhood to counter her kekkei genkai and thus led a mostly normal life. Juugo, however, had not been quite so fortunate.

So that's why Natsuki and her mom are huddled together on the floor of the guest room, studying the seal that originates from Mitsuha’s stomach and unravels into five long chains of ink that trail along her hands, legs, and up to her throat. Honestly, not the way she'd planned to spend her afternoon- but there are stranger things to be doing. Not a lot, but still.

“Are you aware of any customisations that may have been made to the seals for each person, Aratani-san? Or perhaps any modifications that were made as you grew?” Natsuki asks as she continues copying the sealing branch on the woman's left leg. She takes note of the ‘spirit’ paired with the ‘opening’ commands on each of the five branches- the typical formula for ensuring that the seal could be regulated by the sealed person themselves. The lesson of _mind and body in agreement_ replays itself like a mantra in her head as she counts the number of limiting hexagrams that decide how much control is allocated to the seal, and Natsuki jots them down on the paper.

“We never went back to get anything done further to our seals after the initial process.” Mitsuha replies, shifting slightly from where she lies on the futon mattress they’d laid out for her. “As for individual changes- I'm afraid I do not know the answer to that, Hagiwara-chan. We left this business entirely in the hands of the Uzumaki.”

“I never thought to ask Narumi about her clan’s seals before, either,” Kaoru answers Natsuki’s unspoken follow-up to the question, casting her an apologetic glance while she copies the pattern along Mitsuha’s neck. From what Kaoru had told her, her old teammate from before the massacre had been an Aratani, and it was through visiting each other’s clans that Kaoru had been able to recognise Mitsuha, even after all these years. Yet another example of how tightly knit the interwoven relationships of Uzushio had been. “Fuuinjutsu of this nature was always more Tou-san’s forte than mine.”

At that less than encouraging answer, Natsuki’s teeth start worrying at her bottom lip while she finishes her transcript with the trademark spiral tail of the Uzumaki. If the seals had been customised to suit each individual depending on their reserves or maybe even the amount of energy-producing enzymes they had… well, the last thing she wants is to put a seal on Juugo that's too weak. Or worse- one that his body cannot handle.

Her eyes trail over to the open door of their guest room, where she’s greeted with the sight of Juugo in the chair by the window of the main hall while they do their work. They'd left the door open so that the kid wouldn't feel too isolated in this new and strange place, and so far he's been rather cooperative- seated nicely in his chair and facing away from the room in order to give them some measure of privacy. His mouth is slightly agape as he stares down at the streets below with intense fascination, watching as people mill around and go about their duties- from what Mitsuha's told them about their little village, the kid has probably never seen this many people in one place before. It’s actually… kind of cute.

With a hint of a smile in her expression, Natsuki turns her focus back to the copy she's made, double checking each formula and command written into the lines. Based on what she’s reading, the seals operate on a microscopic level, interrupting the body's cellular pathways and inhibiting the enzymatic activity that produces the uncontrolled surges in natural energy. The intangible state of said energy makes it impossible to write commands to store or disperse it specifically, the way they might do with other types of chakra, and Natsuki marvels at the ingenious method the seal masters of old had used to work around that, all without jeopardising the body’s natural homeostatic regulation.

It makes her wonder about the extent of medical knowledge available during the time before the Hidden Villages- had the biological sciences been so far advanced that they’d even had knowledge of cellular metabolism in order to make this seal? Or had this been specialised knowledge that only few people- namely, the Uzumaki- possessed at the time?

If it’s the latter, she can only imagine just how much knowledge beyond mere fuuinjutsu had been lost in the destruction of Uzushiogakure. Their very own Library of Alexandria, perhaps. Just what she needed- more reasons to be bitter about the genocide of her ancestors.

“How soon do you need this seal done, Aratani-san?” Natsuki asks by way of filling the silence, and to gauge how much time they have to prepare for this seal.

“The sooner the better, honestly. I've been able to control him before, but his rampages only grow stronger with time.” The older woman stops for a moment before adding quietly, “Soon, I fear my restraints will not be enough.”

Natsuki's lips pull into a taut line at the implication. She vaguely remembers something about Juugo having earned his reputation through his rampages, and she’s not keen on seeing how that might translate into such a thing happening here. “I see. We'll do our best to figure this out quickly.”

“Do you think you could handle the sealing, Natsu?” Kaoru’s sudden, unexpected question actually blindsides her enough to nearly make her hand jerk- she’d expected to be tasked with restraining the kid while her mom did the work. Looking up at her undoubtedly slack-jawed expression, Kaoru adds, “You've always had a steadier hand than me- and you've done your fair share of experimentation with seals like these. I think it'll be safer this way.”

The absolute lack of hesitation or doubt in her voice is enough to give Natsuki pause. Both her mom and herself are skilled in the art of fuuinjutsu, but with the extra years Kaoru has on her, Natsuki would have thought she’d be the one to lead this endeavour. It’s not that she doubts her own expertise on the subject matter- the Yin Energy Dispersal seal had been an original creation, as was the Paralysis Seal and its variations that she’d made to integrate into her combat maneuvers- but…

A sidelong glance at the kid kneeling on the chair by the window makes Natsuki hesitate a moment longer before she responds. “You'll have to give me some time to research this. I'll see if there's anything that might cause a chain reaction if we adjust the limiters.” She looks back at Mitsuha again, this time with carefully-hidden trepidation pulsing beneath her skin. “Aratani-san, could I ask a question?”

“Of course,” she replies without hesitation, though Natsuki notes the sharp note of caution in her pale eyes. If she hadn't known this woman had been a warrior before, this would have given it away.

“Has anyone of note ever taken notice of your kekkei genkai before? Back in the village you were residing in, I mean.”

The elderly woman dwells on the query for a bit before she shakes her head. “Not that I've been aware of. The town we were living in had been wary of us, but none of them had ever borne witness to our transformations.” A momentary hesitation, before she speaks again with a dulled, but nonetheless present grief in her voice. “My son hadn't inherited the clan's kekkei genkai. He thought it would have been safe to start anew, but when the mother of his child found out…”

Mitsuha trails off, and Natsuki doesn't ask for an explanation. She does try to be sympathetic to the unknown mother's plight, but all she thinks is how that woman might as well be dead to her for abandoning her child without leaving any way for him to fend for himself. Just looking at Juugo’s scrawny arms and slightly hollow cheekbones is enough to fill her with a sense of righteous anger, but she tamps down on it and turns the conversation into safer territory.

“How old is he?”

Even the whistle of Mitsuha’s wind-nature chakra seems to calm slightly at the change of topic. “He will be turning four this year.”

“Rather tall for his age, isn't he?”

“He is- but perhaps a bit clumsy as a result.”  
  
“He’ll grow into it, I’m sure,” Natsuki jests, earning a quiet laugh from Mitsuha. She’s content to let the conversation end there, but when she pauses in her writing for a moment, Natsuki is startled by Mitsuha reaching out to grasp her hand loosely. The action draws Natsuki's gaze back to the her, and she's wearing a faint smile that crinkles her eyes ever so slightly; small but nonetheless sincere. “I failed to say this before, but I am grateful for your aid, Hagiwara-chan. I'd feared for Juugo’s future after my son had passed- but at least now, I know that there are people who will watch over him if anything should happen to me.”

 _A snake in human skin. A monster who had been willing to breed, brainwash and kill children all for his own gain_. Natsuki manages a wry chuckle as she pats Mitsuha's hand assuringly, but there's a chill in the air that only she can feel as she thinks about the psychopath whose clutches she herself had narrowly escaped. “I don't deserve your gratitude, Aratani-san. If anything, it was Kaa-san who was in the right place at the right time.”

“She would not have been there if not for your own circumstances.” The reminder is light, but it hits Natsuki like a stake through the heart. Mitsuha continues, completely unaware of the ice she's injecting into Natsuki's veins with each word. “I believe we all have our roles in influencing fate, Hagiwara-chan. In your own way, you've ensured that this meeting was not simply left to chance- and even now, you offer your help when it is not your obligation. I am grateful to the both of you.”

Mitsuha's words, unassuming as they might seem, make Natsuki want to bury her head in the ground and never surface. She'd… forgotten, almost, just what kind of power she has over this universe, unwanted as it is. It takes a grandmother's well-intentioned gratitude to remind her that her every action drives the world further and further off its predetermined axis, and it's hard for her to maintain her composure as she gently pats the hand Mitsuha has laid over her own.

“I'll do my best, Aratani-san.” Her best is all she can offer anymore.

After that exchange, Natsuki finishes up her half of the seal’s transcript in silence, letting Kaoru carry on the conversation whenever she sees fit. When she confirms that they've both managed to copy their halves of the seals accurately, they re-compress Mitsuha’s seal into its initial spiral-shaped core flanked by five trigrams, the branches over her body no longer visible once they stop channeling their chakra into it. While the older woman retreats to the toilet to get dressed again, Natsuki rises to her feet and leans against the doorframe to watch as Juugo starts murmuring quietly to the sparrow that's landed on the windowsill, undeterred by the glass separating him and the tiny bird. She doesn't have the heart to tell him the soundproofing seals make sure that no noise gets out, and as she watches him whisper animatedly to his new ‘friend’, Natsuki feels the shard of ice that had solidified in her chest sinking deeper into her lungs.

She's already cheated fate by sparing one kid a miserable childhood. Can she really risk doing this again, after knowing the cost?

“What's the matter, Natsu?” Her mom's hands land softly upon her shoulders, her chakra buzzing with the faintest tinge of concern. Juugo finally looks up at Natsuki when the sound reaches his ears and, upon seeing both her and her mother standing there and watching him, blushes at the attention. The kid slowly climbs off his chair, suddenly no longer interested in his avian friend outside the window, and trots towards the kitchen at a rather hasty pace. Natsuki has no idea what he intends on doing in there, besides trying to get out of sight until his grandma emerges, but decides that she isn't going to pry.

“Just thinking about how to go about doing this. I'll look into the seal- we can get it done by the end of the week, after I've fully recovered,” She says in response to her mom's question, and she can feel the _look_ that Kaoru gives her burning into the back of her head.

“You promised your mother you wouldn’t do anything foolish.” Natsuki almost groans at the reminder- the very first thing Ayano had thought to do when they’d brought Mitsuha and her grandson to explain the situation was to turn towards her and say those exact words. _Ye of little faith_. “There’s no rush- I can help keep him under surveillance until we're ready for this.” Kaoru keeps her voice hushed so that Juugo wouldn't be able to hear her, and Natsuki can only put on a wry smirk as she looks over her shoulder to see her mom standing at her side.

“I've got nothing better to do with my time, anyway. Leave the research to me.”

Kaoru's grip on her shoulders tighten affectionately, though Natsuki notices the tremble of concern in her chakra that feels like vibrating static. “We'll take a look at it together. Always better to have a second set of eyes with sealwork.”

A hint of sincerity touches her sardonic expression this time, and Natsuki says innocently, “What number lesson is that, again?”

Her cheek earns her a light warning tug on the ear from her mom, and Natsuki can't help but snicker at the exasperation in her mom's sigh. Surprisingly though, Kaoru doesn’t chastise her at all- instead, she fixes her with a solemn look once the laughter dies down, and says, “Are you really okay with this, Natsu?”

“I am. Don't worry about me.”

“I’m your mom- it's my job to worry about you.” The sound of the toilet door opening distracts them both before Natsuki can respond, and the moment is broken as they turn to see Mitsuha emerging with her walking stick in hand. Kaoru detaches herself from Natsuki’s side to make way for the woman to pass through, but not before casting her daughter one last lingering look. “Don't stress yourself out too much, Natsu. We'll figure this out together.”

Even as her stomach sinks at the far too familiar words- “ _we’ll figure things out, shōko”_ \- Natsuki manages a smile.

Perhaps the most horrible thing is- a part of her hopes they don't.

* * *

There are few things Natsuki hates more than blood-based seals. Not just because those are known to be agonising for those on the receiving end, but because everything from the prep work to the actual application process is an absolute _pain in the ass._

Blood seals are extremely finicky, requiring near-perfect uniformity and thus can only be done by one individual to avoid any contamination involving another person’s chakra. Not to mention she really hates using her fingers to draw sealing formulae- just thinking about the potential infection from exposing an open cut to another person’s bare skin is enough to make her shiver in distaste. The seal will require her to keep her own chakra completely under control while she’s painting it as well, to make sure she doesn’t prematurely activate an incomplete formula and set off something disastrous. For something as vast and detailed as this, which deals with the modification of bodily functions, even the slightest mistake could end up crippling the one it’s gets placed on- or worse.

Natsuki had sworn not to think about all the different ways she could kill a four-year-old kid if she gets this wrong. However, as she sits on her couch, staring at the modified reproduction she'd made of a potentially stronger Natural Energy Repressor Seal- more limiters, fewer enhancing formulae, so on so forth- and double checking to make sure everything balances out, it's hard to think of anything else. She runs a hand through her hair, trying not to pull too hard on her roots in frustration. There are a million possibilities for how this could go wrong- and that's not even accounting for the mess that could arise if Orochimaru caught wind of Juugo's presence like he had in canon, and decided he wanted yet another lab rat. Hadn't Juugo been a big deal to him or something, back in the story? How had the Snake Sannin discovered him to begin with? Natsuki can't recall- the details of her memories from Before are hazy, and it makes her wish she'd written it down instead of growing complacent.

If Orochimaru _does_ come for Juugo, though- Natsuki isn't sure she'd be willing to put up any resistance. Angering such a dangerous ninja would put her whole country at risk, and she's not giving everything up for one child- no matter his significance to her clan’s history and legacy, and no matter how much her mom would hate her for this. She’s already messed with fate enough to damn her a hundred times over, and she’s not paying the price for it again.

...Is what she’d like to say. But gods damn it all, is she really capable of letting a _child_ be tortured and experimented on just to save her own skin? To save her family?

Shaky hands rub at her eyes, and Natsuki finds her vision blurring slightly as she stares at the long lines of letters written across the sheet of mahjong paper for the nth time. Weariness is beginning to settle deep in her bones, but she dreads the thought of sleep _._ Sure, she could slap that Yin Dispersal Seal she’d drawn on the transfer paper last night on herself to stop any nightmares, but she needs to regain her chakra as soon as possible- and the restriction on her recovery is not something she can afford now that she has a new task on hand. Hell, even without sleep, her waking mind is already wandering back into some rather unsavoury places. The only thing keeping her thoughts occupied is this seal she's starting to grow tired of studying- as well as the faint, unnerving presence of Hoshigaki’s demon sword on the roof of her apartment just two floors up, which has been lingering there for the past couple of hours.

In hindsight, maybe the latter is what's causing this sleeplessness. The aura of that sword is so goddamn _weird_ \- though, compared to the almost painful weight of his chakra back in that forest, this feeling is almost comical.

Natsuki pulls her legs up and rests her head against her knees, a slight frown tugging at her lips while she absently traces the almost completely stilled needle of her compass. Hoshigaki has had ample time to hop down to her balcony- which she still hasn’t inscribed seals onto, she should really get to that- and ask for the payment she owes him. Yet... he hasn't. Her lights are still on, and it's impossible for him to mistake her for being anything but awake, so what gives?

“Shinobi are ridiculous,” Natsuki grumbles, pulling off the hairband she'd been using to keep her hair out of her face and setting it down on her table. In a decision she will later attribute to sheer impulsiveness fuelled by her exhaustion, Natsuki leaves her study room and walks into the main hall, making a beeline straight for her balcony door- she's too tired to use the stairs, so wall-hopping it will be. Doctor Hasegawa doesn't need to know, and there’s no one around at this time to bear witness to her breaking her doctor’s orders. Undoing the seals, Natsuki pulls open the sliding door and welcomes the cool night breeze on her face- only to pause for a moment as a thought strikes her, and makes her glance back at the kitchen counter.

She'd made a pot of broth with pork ribs and a blend of herbs today- a recipe from her world Before, which she'd so graciously taught Akira so he could expand his menu- and there was plenty leftover which she'd planned to keep for the following day. There'd be enough for both breakfast and lunch for her, but…

Natsuki bites her bottom lip, contemplative as she slowly closes the door and heads towards the kitchen. She doesn't know if Hoshigaki has any likes or dislikes where his appetite is concerned, but thanks to his offhand comment, she knows for sure he isn't a vegetarian. Still, this dish might be uncommon to his palate, and as Natsuki withdraws a single-tier food carrier from her cupboard, she finds herself wondering if it might not be to his preference. That would be… embarrassing, to say the least.

She just hopes she doesn't spill it everywhere before she even gets to the roof to let him try. Whatever the outcome, this is certainly going to be a fun trip.

* * *

Natsuki doesn't make for the most elegant sight as she jumps over the balustrade wall surrounding the apartment rooftop, holding the carrier high in the air so that she wouldn't tip it over. Still, as her feet touch the ground, she breathes out a long exhale in relief, congratulating herself on not fumbling and getting hot soup all over her fingers. Thankfully, her less than flawless ascent to the rooftop hadn't chased Hoshigaki off- in fact, he's still standing close to the doorway to the stairwell, though his chakra remains almost completely muted and he doesn't drop his camouflage genjutsu. Dusting off her sweatpants- more to buy her time and formulate her sentence than to actually clean off any dirt- Natsuki takes a deep breath.

"I know you're here. There's no one else nearby, so you can show yourself," Natsuki says, trying to appear casual despite her mind screaming _‘what the hell am I doing here?’_ Her fingers begin to tap against the carrier she’d brought with her, wondering if she’s perhaps making a mistake by confronting the missing-nin- maybe he doesn’t want to speak with her? He’d clearly still been trying to hide his presence, and he doesn't seem like he's about to drop his genjutsu any time soon. Is he just keeping an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t back out of their deal?

Those worries are silenced momentarily when he speaks up so suddenly that she almost jumps.

"If you didn't like the cloak, you could have said so. Quite a waste to just throw it away, if you ask me,” Hoshigaki’s voice is light, though it’s belied by mild disapproval. The shimmer of the chakra making up his camouflage genjutsu is beginning to prickle at her senses as his signature draws closer, but without her hands free to dispel the jutsu, Natsuki decides to endure the mild annoyance with a wince. She isn’t quite willing to fully retract her senses- he’s still a shinobi, and she doesn’t take risks with their lot.

"Sorry about that. I'll confess I wasn't thinking when I left it there, but it would have given away your involvement otherwise." Natsuki looks towards in his general direction, her eyes seeing nothing but the wall beyond even though she knows he’s there. "Look at it this way- at least now, your secret's still safe with me."

"Even after a crackdown from Jiraiya of the Sannin?" Even without seeing his face, Natsuki can imagine him watching her reaction closely for any sign of deceit, like a bird of prey deciding on whether to strike. Hm, looks like he’d been watching her after all- though how much he’d gathered, she can’t say.

"You'd be surprised how easy it is to mislead people when they think they know what you're capable of." Like those shinobi had, when they hadn’t paid her any attention. Jiraiya’s hardly the first or the last person she’s managed to slip past- there's a reason for her unpopularity amongst certain members of the council, and all the bills and projects she’d proposed and had approved in the short time she’s been on the board stands as a testament to that. In both her lives, there were always people who thought she was too young, or naive, or that just because she’s a woman she serves no threat- and they just make it too easy for her.

“You lied to one of the Sannin?” There's something like astonishment mingling with the scepticism in Hoshigaki’s voice, and Natsuki just lifts her shoulders in a shrug.

“I _do_ know how to keep my promises- and I said I wouldn't let anyone know you had any part in this. Just keep your head down for a bit longer, so they don't catch on if any more of them come by.”  

“And how do I know you're not lying?”

“Konoha's never done me any favours before. You have- and I am nothing if not faithful to repaying the debts I owe. No one’s come after you at all since I came back, right?”

A moment passes- Natsuki can almost imagine Hoshigaki scrutinising her, trying to figure out how much of what she's said is true. Given that she hasn't even had the chance to tell her parents about him- Juugo’s appearance had made sure she'd been thoroughly distracted- Natsuki has nothing to hide, and she lets it show plainly on her face.

"Underestimation seems to be the downfall of the ones who cross you.” There’s a new undertone to Hoshigaki’s words when he speaks again- something that sounds, strangely, like appraisal. Natsuki’s lip pulls into a smirk- she almost wishes she could see his face to get a better idea of what he's thinking, not that Hoshigaki is exactly easy to read.

"At least you’ll know not to make that same mistake." There's the smallest twinge of surprise in his chakra in response to that veiled threat- Natsuki is careful to maintain her lighthearted smile so that he knows she's joking… somewhat. Lifting the food carrier in her hands towards where his signature is, she adds,  "Here. This is thanks for making sure I didn't starve out in that forest back then."

There's a beat of silence- and another surprised tremour in his signature. "I'm more than capable of getting my own food."

"I know that- just thought you'd like something a little different every now and then." Natsuki swirls the container a little, raising an eyebrow to emphasise her unspoken offer. "It's not poisoned, I swear. I don't know enough about those to even try." Probably not the most reassuring statement right after she’d said not to underestimate her, but she’d leave it up to him.

“And I'm supposed to take your word for it?”

“What, want me to prove it by having a go?” When he doesn’t reply, Natsuki holds back a sigh- shinobi paranoia truly astounds her sometimes. Still, she pulls back the carrier as she opens the lid, careful not to drop the spoon she'd brought with her. Taking a loud sip straight from the edge of the bowl- just so he'd get the picture; she's a bit spiteful like that- Natsuki then lowers the carrier from her lips with a pointed look. “It's clean.”

“What is that?” Seemingly convinced now that she isn't trying to make him ingest poison, Hoshigaki’s cautious tone now carries a note of curiosity. With a satisfied smile, Natsuki closes the lid of the carrier and offers it to him again, waiting for him to take it as she replies.

“It's basically stewed pork ribs- an original recipe I made up some time back.” More like stolen from her past life, but no one could argue her claim here. “Not sure if you'll like it, but it’s all I have at the moment.”

There’s no response for a few seconds, and Natsuki almost expects Hoshigaki to tell her to get lost- before his genjutsu wavers with an abrupt flux of chakra, the sensation giving her vertigo and forcing her to shut her eyes against the dizziness. Then, it’s gone. When Natsuki manages to squint her eyes open again, seeing the Kiri-nin’s face almost makes her jump- geez, she’d forgotten how _tall_ he was- but he merely glances at her before tentatively taking the container from her hands. Natsuki almost immediately relaxes at his acceptance of her peace offering, but Hoshigaki makes no move to try it just yet- instead, his piercing gaze is intently focused on her, and she has to wonder why he's staring. Does he still not trust her intentions?

“Didn’t think it was possible, but your eyebags look even worse up close,” He finally says. Natsuki’s lips turn into such an displeased frown at the insult that she’s positive it must look comical- from the way Hoshigaki's grin broadens, it sure seems that way.

“Astounding observation, kouhai,” she responds flatly, feeling a nearly wicked sense of enjoyment at the way his smile drops slightly with displeasure.

“You'd think someone who's leading a country would have the sense to get proper sleep.”

“I think the words you're looking for are ‘Thank you, Hagiwara-senpai’.” He’s almost scowling now, and it’s hard for her to _not_ smile at how she’d turned the tables. Taking a step back to lean against the balustrade wall, she says, “You can just leave that container on my balcony when you're done- and feel free to tell me what you think.”

Hoshigaki's disturbingly bright eyes fall upon the carrier in his hands, before they dart back towards her, all amusement suddenly fading from his expression. “Why should that matter?”

Uh oh. Had she said something wrong? “I like getting feedback on my cooking. Helps me improve.”

His frown deepens- clearly, that's not the answer he'd been looking for. “Why did you come up here, Hagiwara-san?” He uses a different approach, and this time, Natsuki hesitates momentarily before she answers.

“Couldn't sleep. The silence was getting a little stifling,” She says slowly, and she takes the opportunity to avert her eyes as she rubs at her neck. “I was still feeling a little restless, and I figured since you were awake up here too, I could...”

Natsuki trails off, suddenly uncertain. Damn it. What _had_ she been thinking, coming up here to make small talk with a ninja who's only here so she'd pay him? Was she hoping to make a friend with this mercenary? Hoping he'd help keep away the silence of her thoughts long enough for them to rest? That would make her sound so pathetic. So instead, Natsuki allows a convincingly awkward laugh to slip past her lips and waves a hand dismissively, as if telling him to disregard her statement. “It was really an impulsive thing. I just thought to return the favour you did me- sorry if I bothered you.”

It's not really a lie, and yet Natsuki finds herself unable to glance at the shinobi for before her. She keeps her eyes fixed on the ocean in the distant horizon, distracting herself from waiting on Hoshigaki’s reaction by staring at the subtle reflection of moonlight amidst the waves. The silence is starting to get awkward, and for a second, Natsuki considers hopping back over the wall and back down to her apartment- but that's when Hoshigaki speaks again.

“In the forest,” he begins, and Natsuki unconsciously tenses as she realises the conclusion he’s drawn. “Was that your first kill?”

Natsuki momentarily contemplates denying it. The… incident in the forests of Fire is certainly not the most pressing, morally-obfuscating matter at the moment- but that doesn’t mean it isn’t on the backburner, pushed all the way to the end of her list of priorities for _later_. She’s positive she’s going to be dreaming of ruined corpses and two more pairs of dead eyes watching from the shadows if she dares to fall asleep, but she’s- well, she’s tried not to think about it.

“Yeah.” Her concession comes out sounding softer and more strained than she would have liked, and Natsuki clears her throat before confirming, “Yeah, it was.”

Hoshigaki scoffs lightly. “No use feeling guilty about that. They would have killed you if you hadn’t done it first.”  
  
“That’s just the thing- I don’t regret it. It was _easy_.” Her voice doesn’t crack this time, but Natsuki finds her hands bunching into loose fists- she just doesn’t have the energy to be angry at Hoshigaki’s dismissive words, or anything right now. “Kind of makes me wonder what other things I would be capable of doing.” Like letting a madman take a child because she’s too scared to fight back.

There’s a beat of silence before Hoshigaki speaks again- and this time, his words seem to carry more weight than before. “You said yourself that you believed people are capable of good, even after doing the unimaginable. Were those just empty words, then?”

At that, Natsuki finally looks back at Hoshigaki, surprise and sudden realisation crawling up her throat and making her feel oddly ashamed. She hadn’t been thinking when she’d started voicing her concerns so thoughtlessly- and after she’d spouted off that pretty little quote that he'd thrown right back at her, too. She must paint quite the hypocritical picture for him to behold.

“No. No, you’re right- I'm just whining now. I think I’m just tired.” Natsuki relents, trying to shake herself out of this sudden funk. She should be better than this- she's not some child who needs the world to validate her struggles. There are bigger things to worry about. “I guess it's just hard to take my own advice, sometimes. I’m sorry, it was insensitive of me.”

The Kiri-nin’s eyes narrow by just a fraction, and a muscle in his jaw twitches slightly. He seems… displeased? “You have no reason to apologise to me.”

Natsuki laughs- or tries to. It comes out sounding more like a soft wheeze than anything else. “Depends on how you look at it, I suppose.”

She has a hundred different things to apologise for- if not for affecting his life directly, then indirectly. Kisame Hoshigaki had been intimately tied to Naruto Uzumaki’s destined path, and that’s all potentially gone to shit because of how she’s managed to mess it all up. This world’s Naruto will have his parents by his side, his Hokage father might actually have the brains to alleviate the village’s tensions with the Uchiha, and his mother- hell, with his _mother_ alive, the kid might not even be a jinchuuriki anymore. That's not even getting _started_ on the mess that is this world’s Akatsuki- she can't remember for the life of her how or when Hoshigaki had gotten in that organisation, only that he'd died in the end for a cause he'd truly believed in.

And now, even that small solace is no longer certain.

Despite her best efforts to keep herself from expressing too much outwardly, the way Hoshigaki awkwardly glances away from her is telling enough for Natsuki to know she'd failed in that endeavour, at least a little. It's almost embarrassing how much she's messing this up. She's about to say something to divert the awkward tension that's suddenly present, or maybe to apologise again, when Hoshigaki starts unscrewing the lid of the food carrier she'd handed him.

The unexpected action takes her by surprise enough that the words she'd intended to say are momentarily forgotten, her attention fully focused on Hoshigaki as he takes a spoonful of the stewed meat within the container. He doesn't really stop to look at her before he brings the food to his lips, and though Natsuki tries not to stare too much, she finds herself paying close attention to his reaction. She isn't as familiar with Water Country’s culture and cuisine as she would like, but she knows that this particular dish leans more towards Earth Country cooking with its generous use of spices than anyplace else- and though Hoshigaki doesn't visibly react, Natsuki feels his chakra spike weakly in mild surprise.

“It's not what I expected.” Hoshigaki comments after he swallows the first mouthful, and Natsuki is relieved to see there's no disgust or any similar emotion on his face. “Tastes stronger than I thought it would.”

“Not really to your liking?” Hoshigaki seems to think on that for a second before answering.

“It's different, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good,” he says, before his eyes drift away while he takes yet another spoonful. If he's only pretending to like it, he's certainly doing it well- she can't pick up on any physical signs that he's struggling to eat it, or anything from his chakra, either. Natsuki briefly wonders why he'd suddenly started digging in like this, before it hits her- is he... trying to distract her? Because if he is, it's working.

The thought is strange- but almost endearing, too. Unlikely as it may be, the effect is nonetheless potent.  
  
“Thank you,” Natsuki finds herself saying, her lips curving into a smile that she hopes conveys her gratitude. As with all the times before, Hoshigaki seems uncertain on how to accept her thanks, his lips twitching slightly yet again as his habitual smile falters- but this time, Natsuki swears she sees the skin atop his cheekbones darken just a little, though it might just be an illusion in the absence of light.

The ninja continues eating without so much as a grunt of acknowledgement, not giving away anything that's going through his mind- and Natsuki doesn't pry. She's content with just leaning against the wall at her back, the coil of tension in her shoulders unwinding as she fights the temptation to close her eyes. All those hours of sleeplessness are catching up to her, but she also dreads the idea of falling asleep without any of her defences ready. Maybe she should have given that cursed dagger to the tigers, as she’d said she had with the rest of Hiroki's belongings- surely, in another dimension, its effects wouldn't reach her? That she’d managed to get some untroubled sleep the night she’d been kidnapped might imply that distance from the blade actually works- if not just complete and utter exhaustion.

“Hagiwara-san.”

“Hm?” Natsuki physically startles at that, blinking rapidly as she regains her bearings. Damn, she'd actually started drifting off a little- there’s no way Hoshigaki didn’t notice that, but the ninja seems to be looking out at the skyline instead of at her.

“You should leave before the sun rises. I don’t think your neighbours will be too happy to catch you walking down their windows.” He's wearing his usual smile as he says that, and Natsuki wonders how he'd cultivated this habit of his. Is he always this well tempered, or is his constant smile meant to intimidate his foes? Maybe to keep them from reading his emotions? It's certainly effective, but also just a touch distracting. Maybe that's the goal?

“Will you be alright out here?” Natsuki asks, the question slipping out almost unintentionally. Drowsiness seems to be lowering her inhibitions somewhat, but thankfully, Hoshigaki doesn't point it out.

“I'll return this when I'm done.” He gestures with the container to clarify his meaning, before shooting her yet another pointed grin. “Can’t say I’m willing to haul you back down to your apartment as well, though.”

Natsuki laughs when she hops backwards onto the surrounding wall, balancing easily on the edge as  she channels chakra into her feet. “I appreciate the show of concern, but I'll be fine.” Hoshigaki’s smile drops slightly at the implication of her words, and Natsuki feels her smile widening as she gives him a short wave. “I'll see you around, kouhai.”

Another large step backwards has her standing straight against the vertical surface of the wall, and Natsuki walks towards her balcony with a slight spring in her step. There's something strangely satisfying about getting the last say in her and Hoshigaki’s short back-and-forths, and she relishes in the feeling as she flips lightly onto her balcony railing with only the slightest sound as her feet meet the floor. It's hard not to look back to see if Hoshigaki is watching, but Natsuki manages as she unlocks her sliding door and eases back into her apartment, her chest feeling much lighter than it had been before.

She hadn't really expected her impulse decision to confront Hoshigaki to turn into more of a casual conversation over her cooking, but perhaps this is a better outcome than she'd expected. Though, that does remind her- she hadn't asked him about that payment… and oddly enough, he hadn't brought it up either.

The realisation is a little disarming, but either way, Natsuki decides she isn't up to mentally agonising over the strange actions of a rogue shinobi. Right now, her bed seems much more appealing- trauma induced nightmares be damned- and so it is to her bed that she goes. Everything else could wait until she's done with her little nap, and if her addled brain had any argument against that, it's silenced the moment she lies down and is out within seconds.

(Surprisingly enough, Natsuki doesn't dream of anything that night. And if she’d been awoken momentarily as she sensed Hoshigaki’s chakra lingering outside her balcony for just a little longer than necessary when he deposits the food container- well, Natsuki just drifts off and pretends not to notice.)

* * *

In the Hidden Village of the Land of Fire, Minato Namikaze sits in the Hokage’s chair as he listens to his mentor recount the events that have gone down in Waves. There is steel in his eyes and tension in his posture, and when Jiraiya finishes his report, he watches his student with an equally solemn expression. Spread across the desk are copies of the autopsy reports of the two deceased Yuga-nin, the eyewitness accounts of Hanzo the Salamander and his most recently-elected council members, and several reports handed to the Fourth Hokage by an anonymous agent, whose residence and place of work has been monitored ever since Minato had managed to convince her to step forward. They've been slowly and painstakingly investigating this mass covert operation for years, waiting for the last missing link between all of them.

These newest additions could be exactly what they need.

“So what now, Minato? You think it's enough?” Jiraiya asks, his usually jovial tone lacking any hint of levity. The Hokage in question leans back in his chair, hands folded together and pressed against his lips while he looks over the evidence yet again, before finally speaking.

“We'll send an envoy to the Land of Sound and arrange a meeting with the local Daimyo. Shikaku and I will decide who to send out- and make sure the news doesn't reach Danzo’s hands.” He picks up one of the anonymous insider reports, his blue eyes never once losing even a hint of severity. The accounts detail kidnapping and brainwashing the likes of which he's never thought possible, and it makes him sick down to his very core. How could they have let this monstrosity fester under their very noses? “I will contact the heads of the major clans. Maybe they can provide new insight into this case.”

“If they do? And the Daimyo confirms this information?” Shikaku speaks tersely, clearly just as troubled by these latest updates as much as Minato is. He cannot fault him for that- as head of his clan, and with a son of his own, Minato's certain that the thoughts running through their heads are one and the same.

Minato singles out one profile from the rest. It's a short article clipped from yesterday's newspaper, detailing the safe return of the Onami’s first-in-line from an attempted kidnapping. The coverage is surface-level at best, with no real detail on the situation besides the fact that she'd been- supposedly- saved by shinobi from Konoha, one of whom had been seen in the port town right after she'd returned. The article is saturated in falsehoods, preserving the image of Konoha as ally to their surrounding nations, as well as to cover up the fact that Natsuki Hagiwara had escaped with her own two hands; a leader who is neither royalty nor shinobi, and yet had managed everything a ninja should have.

It reeks of propaganda and damage control- none of which Minato had ordered. It's also exactly the kind of thing they can use to bring down the final nail in the coffin.

“If it’s true,” he says mildly, as if commenting on something as inconsequential as the weather. “Then we plant the lure, and wait.”

There are monsters growing in the shadows of the Leaf- and the greatest of them all is going to learn that though he is Hokage, the Yellow Flash had not earned his reputation by showing his enemies mercy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Detective pikachu beat endgame on day 1 and i can think of no better news  
> have this short-ish update with some fuuinjutsu nonsense to take a break from all the constant action. i promised kisame this chapter and so we have half the chapter dedicated to him lmfao. More of that to come!


	7. Repute

Juugo hasn't spoken a word to her since she'd gotten here, and Natsuki has nowhere to run from this rather awkward babysitting job. Mitsuha's out of the house with Ayano- no doubt to settle whatever immigration details they need to have sorted out- and Kaoru's busy painting Containment Seals into the walls of the guest room, along with the rest of the house as well. It's necessary preparation for any… complications that may arise during the planned sealing ceremony. So, while all of that's happening, Natsuki's job is to keep Juugo distracted so that he doesn't get stressed out- and to achieve that, she's brought a box of crayons and a stack of papers for him to go absolutely ham on.

So far, it seems to be working. Kid seems to love drawing all sorts of flowers and animals, and he's actually not half bad at it. Natsuki’s working on a simple drawing herself- a guise to make herself look busy and less like she’s watching Juugo’s every move like a hawk. The kid still seems a bit nervous around her- his chakra is calm, but it doesn’t quite settle down properly- and he keeps looking over at her every few seconds when he thinks she doesn't notice. Natsuki steadfastly keeps up the act of nonchalance as she flicks the tip of a yellow crayon across the verdant plains she’d sketched out to add some dimension, all while trying not to get too fidgety about the distinct lack of sealing chakra in the walls.

Whatever security seals they've got installed in her parents' house mainly run on external triggers and threats- and on the off-chance that a transformation could set off the Anti-Intrusion seals, they've had to keep those deactivated while Juugo’s here. Personally, Natsuki can’t wait for the immigration papers to get settled quickly so they can finally work on getting proper accomodations for the Aratani family- if only for her own peace of mind. Just the thought of her parents having no security parameters in their house is making her incredibly antsy, and she wonders how her mom hasn’t already snapped and reactivated everything.

Then again, maybe that’s why she’s busying herself with the preparation sealwork in the room- keeps her distracted from the paranoia. They have that work ethic in common.

Natsuki spins the crayon in her hand as she’s done with the shading, looking over her crude sketch with a critical eye. A quick glance across the tabletop reveals Juugo looking at her paper intensely, his eyes almost glittering with what can only be described as awe. She’s never been much of an artist in either of her lives, but from the way he’s stopped to stare at her drawing of- well, _trees and grass,_ anyone would think she was creating the next Starry Night. Her obvious pause is noticed almost immediately when Juugo’s eyes flicker up to her face, and, upon being caught staring, he shrinks back in his seat and pulls his own drawing closer to him, a look of shame and embarrassment colouring his face. Natsuki feels her gaze soften at his reaction- she isn’t quite certain how to approach a child who’s so obviously troubled, but the least she can do is try to extend a hand to him.

"Hey, Juugo-kun." The boy flinches at her call, not looking up from his own drawing but ceasing all movement nonetheless. Natsuki pushes her paper across the table slowly, trying not to startle him as she gentles her voice. "I’m going to go get us a snack, okay? Could you help me finish my drawing?”

Juugo finally looks up at that, bewilderment and uncertainty written plain as day across his face. Natsuki makes sure to wear an encouraging smile as she adds, “I’m absolute rubbish when it comes to drawing animals, but I think this would look way better if I had a couple birds up here, or even a squirrel or two. What do you think?”

The almost reddish-orange hue of his irises seem to glimmer at the suggestion, and Juugo’s eyes flicker between her face and the drawing as if he isn’t sure she’s serious. Natsuki merely holds out the crayon she’d been using in a silent offering, being careful not to get too close or press too hard in case he isn’t keen on it. Juugo stares at the extended gift for a long moment, clearly hesitant, before he inches forward to take it from her with a short nod, still not quite looking her in the eye. It’s hard not to smile too eagerly at the positive response, but for all the relief she feels, Natsuki’s also struck by a pang of distress when she notes just how skinny his arm is.

Just looking at him and Mitsuha- who isn’t particularly healthy-looking either- speaks volumes about how their livelihoods in their former village must have been like, and Natsuki is suddenly glad that they’re choosing to settle down here. Waves isn’t the most prosperous nation, but with the resources the country has and Ayano backing them up, the Aratani family could surely attain a better means of income here than they would have anywhere else. Natsuki’s already dropped Akira a line to ask if he or any other shop owners have got any job openings that someone with Mitsuha's handicap could handle, and she's determined to check back on that if Ayano comes up short.

She ignores the niggling whisper at the back of her head that's trying to tell her she's getting too attached. No matter the risk involved, she isn’t going to compromise her humanity by denying a kid and his grandmother some common decency.

“I’ve got a stash of egg roll biscuits in the kitchen. I’ll be right back, okay?” Juugo barely even looks at her as she rises from her chair, now completely engrossed in colouring in whatever animals he wants into the drab, empty field of her drawing. Natsuki takes that as an affirmative that he’s suitably calm, and so she dashes into the kitchen in order to grab a couple of bowls and the container of biscuits hidden behind the rice bag in the kitchen. Her mother gets munchy sometimes and she jealously guards her snacks, but Natsuki knows all her hoarding places by now. She’d just take a couple of them as compensation for her babysitting services for the day.

By the time she walks back to the dining table, Juugo’s already working on his second bird- this time, it appears to be flying instead of sitting on a tree branch. Natsuki sets the two bowls down and distributes an even number of biscuits between them, quietly observing the little artist at work. She has to admit, he’s got an eye for detail- the different shades of brown he’s using to colour in the sparrow’s outstretched wings seem to represent different layers of plumage, and though it’s crude, his drawing of the avian creature is much more complex than most drawings she’s seen from children his age. Hell, she herself still draws birds in the shape of indistinct ‘M’s floating in the sky sometimes.

When Juugo catches her watching him, Natsuki plays it casual as she slides his bowl towards him, appraising his work with obvious fascination. “Woah, it already looks better than it did before! You’re pretty good at this, Juugo-kun.” The slight upturn of his lips draws a smile from Natsuki as well, and she shoots him a thumbs up. “You keep on going- I’ll work on a different drawing, and you can help me out with that too, okay?”

The eagerness in the widening of his eyes and the slight show of teeth behind his delighted smile is enough to make Natsuki's heart melt. Damn it- maybe she really is getting just a bit in over her head here. Just a bit.

The hour passes in just about the same fashion as before- though now, Juugo seems far more receptive to her presence and perhaps just a bit too eager to see what she gives him to work with next, munching on his share of biscuits the whole while. It’s only after three more helpings of snacks and two more drawings later- one of a garden with empty bushes that she let him fill with whatever flowers he wanted, and another more abstract piece where she scribbled a bunch of loops and filled each gap with different patterns for him to colour in- that Kaoru finally emerges from the guest room.

The smears of ink on her hands draws Natsuki’s gaze first and foremost as she walks up to the dining table- chakra ink always feels a bit bizarre when it’s active without having any real function, like a cloud of energy that has nowhere to go and just slowly fades away. Glancing up at her mom, Natsuki takes note of the faint ink trail on her forehead- no doubt from when she’d wiped the sweat from her face with her dirtied hands- and it’s hard not to snort when Kaoru raises an eyebrow at the sight of the egg biscuits on the table, which only makes the ink stain more obvious.

“Your mother’s going to complain to me when she sees you’ve been at her stash.”  
  
“She’s eaten my snacks before. This is only fair.” Kaoru hardly looks convinced, but Natsuki decides to change the topic by gesturing to her forehead. “You’ve got ink on your face, Kaa-san.”

Kaoru reaches up to wipe at the spot- only to stop and stare at her ink-stained hands with a frown. A tired sigh leaves her lips before she turns towards Natsuki again, her gaze flitting from her towards Juugo in contemplation. “I’ll clean up quickly- it's almost time for the doctor’s appointment. Sorry that took so long, Natsu.”

"Don't mention it. You go do what you have to.” A curt nod from Kaoru is all she received before her mom flickers out of sight, leaving a puff of chakra in her wake. Natsuki turns back towards Juugo, who’s staring at the faint billow of chakra vapour with immense fascination, and almost giggles at the awe on his face. She remembers the first time she’d seen a shunshin in action, too. “Alright, Juugo-kun. We’re going to have to stop here for today- your grandma's waiting for you at the hospital, and we can’t keep her waiting too long, okay?"

That draws his attention back to her, and all captivation drops from his face as he glances at his drawing, and then at her, and then back to the drawing again. There’s most definitely a pout forming on his face at the notion of having to abandon his half-finished colouring job, and Natsuki has to swallow the slight laugh that wants to escape her lips. Gods, he’s the cutest thing this side of the Continent- but still, she tries her best to assure the obviously upset child. His chakra seems to be reacting nervously to the prospect of going somewhere new, and Natsuki recognises that same anxiety from so many kids she’d taught who were just coming to school for the very first time. “You can come back and finish these drawings later, okay? Don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere.”  
  
Juugo still appears unconvinced, and Natsuki makes a show of pursing her lips and humming thoughtfully. “Mm, tell you what. If you behave well at the doctor’s office, I’ll let you keep these crayons and the rest of these papers, too. Then the next time I come by, we can go right back to drawing a whole bunch of new things, okay?”

Those vibrant eyes grow so wide at the prospect as Juugo fervently nods in understanding that Natsuki finally allows herself a quiet laugh at his obvious delight. Even his chakra has shifted from nervous sluggishness to spikes of eager anticipation, and Natsuki’s already feeling much better about his potential reaction to this doctor’s appointment than she did before. The possibility that he might lash out in panic still isn’t entirely negated, but Natsuki’s interacted with children long enough to know that the prospect of rewards tends to help them power through a seemingly scary situation.

By the time Kaoru’s done cleaning up and is ready to go, Juugo seems to have settled down suitably, and doesn’t make much of a fuss when her mom comes down and starts ushering them both out the door. What Natsuki doesn’t see coming, however, is Juugo just about immediately latching onto her hand as soon as they step outside the door, and she finds herself freezing up at the unexpected contact. Just as quickly as she realises what’s happened, she forces herself to relax, but she can’t help but cast a curious look at the kid who barely comes up to her thigh. Juugo is looking up at her with barely hidden nervousness as he awaits her reaction, and when Natsuki merely winks and squeezes his hand affectionately, a smile alights on his face with the slow, subtle radiance of a rising sun. That same heart melting, gooey feeling from before hits her like a slap to the face, and Natsuki absently dreads what this means for her if even a small smile like that is enough to overrule all her reservations about staying detached.

A tap on her shoulder draws Natsuki's gaze back to Kaoru, who's still standing on the threshold just moments after locking the door behind her. Natsuki only just starts to open her mouth to ask what's wrong- when her eyes fall upon the envelope held between Kaoru's fingers, and her lips shut so quickly her teeth click with an audible snap. Almost immediately, the moment of fluffy, warm emotion she'd been entertaining before is replaced by a hollow sense of reluctance.

"I forgot to tell you earlier, but this came in today for you, Natsu."

“Ah.” Natsuki accepts the envelope on reflex alone, and she knows immediately who it's from even before she reads the address. With a smile that doesn't quite feel right on her face, she murmurs, “Thanks for telling me, Kaa-san.”

The tentative, yet sympathetic frown that forms Kaoru's face at that response makes Natsuki feel a wave of guilt and exasperation. She almost wishes her parents wouldn't tread on this topic as though they're walking on eggshells around her, but at the same time, the awkwardness is almost relieving. She really, really doesn't want to talk about this if she can help it, and if discomfort is the only thing keeping them from getting on her case, she’ll take it.

"I'm not saying you _have_ to reply if you don't want to, Natsuki, but it would put her mind at ease." Kaoru's violet eyes are gentle as they look at her, and it's hard not to look away with shame at the well-intended, yet almost unwelcome advice. "Just don't hold off until you come to regret it."

"I know.  Don’t worry, I'll get around to it." Natsuki tries for a small smile, this one sliding onto her face a little more naturally than the last. She isn't sure how much of that her mom actually buys, but Kaoru relents and nods, gesturing for her to follow as she heads in the direction of the hospital. With a glance back at Juugo, Natsuki notes the curious, yet otherwise clueless look on his face, and waves their linked hands together lightly as she puts on her most convincing, upbeat tone. "Let's get going, then!”

Thankfully, the kid seems oblivious to the tension as he merely nods and follows along without question, which eases Natsuki’s restlessness somewhat. The last thing she needs on top of everything is for him to start getting nosey as well- especially on top of everything else she has on her plate. There’d been a council meeting earlier today that she’d been left out of since she’s on medical leave- which _totally_ isn’t at least partially enforced to keep her out of the room while everyone else discusses what to do now that she’s been outed, of course not- and on top of that, there’s the issue of Hoshigaki’s presence. Whatever their interaction from the night before had been, it’s raised a couple of questions that she doesn’t quite know how to answer- why hadn’t he mentioned the payment, why had he so deliberately changed the topic when he saw her discomfort, _what had she been thinking to approach him in the first place she should know better than to get involved by now_ \- and it’s left her at a loss as to what step to take next.

Then there’s this doctor’s appointment, which serves both the purpose of fulfilling the immigration criteria as well as to gauge the differences between Juugo and Mitsuha’s health reports so that they can try to reconfigure the seal as necessary. Which is also on the agenda for ‘as soon as conveniently possible before the kid snaps and murders everyone’. Overall, it’s a _lot_ to handle, and this supposed ‘recovery break’ is starting to feel less and less like one with each passing day.

As they continue their walk through the streets, Natsuki slides the letter Kaoru had passed to her into the pocket of her slacks, knowing that it’s about to go right into the drawer of her living room dresser, where all the other letters bearing the same return stamp and address wind up at the end of the day. Not a single one of them has been opened or read for the past two years, deliberately left to gather dust in a place that's out of sight and out of mind. Maybe someday, she'll be less of a coward enough to actually read through these letters again, and maybe she'll even write a long overdue response to each one the way she'd used to, before the world had reminded her what all this had cost. But until then...

 _Later_.

* * *

Natsuki presses her fingers to her pursed lips as she stares at the inconspicuous food carrier that she’d filled with yet another serving of dinner that she’d made- this time, it’s fried rice that she’d thrown together with whatever meat and vegetables she’d had left in her fridge. Compared to what she’d cooked the other day, she’d made this in a rush and with little thought- overall, this is just one of her lazy-day meals. Does she really want to let him try this? Is it even wise to start making a habit of making dinner for a wanted criminal?

Oh, gods. She’s _making dinner_ for a _wanted criminal_. Her life really is in shambles.

“I’m losing it. I'm finally losing it,” Natsuki mutters, grabbing the container off the small counter along with a set of cutlery. She always knew this whole soulmate dilemma would drive her insane sooner or later.

Her sensory skills reach out and easily latch onto Hoshigaki’s signature- a notable blip amidst the ocean of chakra within her scope; he’s moved a little closer to her residence since the last time- and she focuses on it with an almost idle familiarity as she dismantles the security measures of her balcony door. Feeling the buzz of chakra in the seals dwindle, Natsuki can’t help but wonder whether these would really help keep out someone as powerful as Hoshigaki. The anti-intrusion patterns are built to recognise chakra that hasn’t been registered in the seal’s containment circle, and anyone who tries to force the door open would be met with an immobilising chain and a shock of potentially fatal measure, but Hoshigaki’s ridiculously vast reserves might just be able to override the seal’s limits and break through the links.

Well, she just hopes she never has to learn the answer if it’s to her detriment- and Natsuki’s content to leave that train of thought where it is as she places the container and eating utensils on the windsor chair that sits on her balcony. She then takes a step back, tilting her head slightly as she observes the inconspicuous container. She isn’t sure if Hoshigaki is stopping by today, or if he’ll even see this, but… well, she feels almost obliged to keep this up, if only as thanks for that indirect consolation he’d offered her yesterday.

Besides, if he doesn’t take it, she’ll just throw it in the fridge for tomorrow or something. That’s a matter to think about later, however, as she senses the approach of two familiar signatures coming from the direction of the business district. She’s got plans for tonight, and that currently takes priority. With that in mind, Natsuki heads back inside, reassembling her seals before heading into the kitchen to put a kettle on the stove. Company demands refreshments- and it wouldn’t be one of their usual brainstorming sessions without some tea.

When the doorbell rings, Natsuki’s already got a teapot set on the coffee table, the leaves steeping in the water while she lays out three cups. Rising to her feet, Natsuki pads across the hall and past the kitchen area to get to the front door, repeating the same deactivation procedure she’d done with the balcony door before opening it to welcome her guests inside.

“It’s about time.” She shoots Hatsume and Tatsumi a wry smile, leaning against the open door in an almost casual manner. “I was getting so bored just sitting around here.”

“You know, most people would take their designated time off to, you know…” Hatsume flutters her fingers in the air, a look of feigned thoughtfulness on her face as she says, “Rest?”

Natsuki snorts in a rather ungainly fashion, playfully shoving Hatsume’s shoulder before she steps aside to let the duo inside. “Don't you start, too. I've already heard this lecture from Tazuna-san.”

“I heard about that from Aki,” Tatsumi comments as he toes off his sandals, shooting her a sidelong look. “Didn’t work very well though, did it?”  
  
“Are you guys here to take cheap shots at me, or are you going to update me on what’s been going on since I’ve been put out to pasture?” Natsuki quirks a brow as a trickle of annoyance leaks into her voice, and both her friends merely grin at her innocently. The half-hearted glare falls flat almost as quickly as it arrived, and Natsuki scoffs while she locks the door and reactivates the seals. “Assholes.”

“Only the best for you, Hime.” Despite her teasing words, Hatsume pulls out an envelope from the file she’d brought with her, a note of seriousness countering the levity in her tone. “I’ve got the minutes from the meeting here. Wanna take a look first?”  
  
“Yeah, that’d be great.” The mood in the room quickly settles into something more formal as Natsuki accepts the proffered documents and starts reading through what had been discussed at the council meeting she’d missed. At the back of her mind, she takes note of the relief she feels at how natural this conversation feels- even after she’d hidden how much she’d known from them, they’d still been so incredibly understanding of her circumstances and the reasons for her secrecy. It feels like nothing has changed between them, and Natsuki is more grateful than she could ever express.

It does, however, make hiding the fact that she’d met her soulmate even worse. But again, that’s a problem for another time.

“Iwao-san actually agreed with the proposal?” She looks with a look of surprise cast over her face as she finishes reading through the document. Tatsumi’s mouth curls into a smirk as he nods in affirmation, both Hatsume and himself having settled on the couch directly facing the coffee table.  
  
“We were surprised, too. Never thought we’d see the day he would actually be on our side.”

“Good to see that more of the elders are warming up to us.” Natsuki snorts. “It’s the input of the civilian council on this that worries me, though…”

Her sentence trails off abruptly when she notices the signature in the distance that’s suddenly headed in her direction, and Natsuki almost frowns at the distraction. Now? Really?

“Natsu? Everything okay?” Tatsumi questions when the silence drags on for just a touch too long to be natural, and Natsuki forces herself to direct her attention back to the gathering at hand. Hoshigaki better not be planning on crashing into her apartment...  
  
“Yeah.” She emits a slight laugh, one that’s just awkward enough to seem natural. Settling into the loveseat sitting perpendicular to the couch, Natsuki picks up her notebook and pencil, gesturing to her friends to continue. “Sorry, lost my train of thought there. Anyway, what do you guys think? Anything in particular that we should pay attention to?”

As her colleagues delve into the specifics of the meeting that weren’t exactly noted on record- this councilman said yes but seemed a little sceptical, that point was brought up and should be added to the list of priorities, this other detail that seemed insignificant now needs a reevaluation- Natsuki listens to it all as best as she can, taking note of the biggest issues voiced against their proposal for mandatory primary education and trying to devise how they might address those problems. However, half of her mind remains stuck on the fact that Hoshigaki, who she had expected to go to the rooftop, had actually landed on her balcony after all, still cloaked in that camouflaging genjutsu.

It takes more mental exertion than it should to reassign that detail to something she would deal with _later_ . His sense of timing is absolutely horrendous.  
  
"Right, so." Natsuki looks down at the key points she’d noted from that recap. Turning the paper so that her friends could read it as well, she says, "It looks like we already have support from Sectors A and B, so that leaves the representatives of C... Hatsume, what do you think?"

Almost immediately, Hatsume pulls out another sheaf of papers from her file. A single glance is all it takes for Natsuki to recognise all the rows of data- results from her most recent research survey, no doubt. She isn’t in the department of home affairs for nothing- and on this matter that’s a bit more personal to her, Natsuki values her opinion on these matters. "So, what usually happens for a lot of kids is that they drop out by their first year if they aren't doing well. Most parents, especially those employed in the lower-earning rungs of agribusiness would rather have them contribute by joining the workforce instead of wasting their efforts elsewhere."  
  
"But we managed to pass the free education act last year. The stats showed a greater number of students since then- so surely making the first five years of schooling mandatory shouldn’t be that jarring?" Tatsumi proposes the question more as a devil’s advocate than a genuine critique, but Hatsume still shoots him a mildly dubious look.  
  
"Why send your kids to school when you can just teach them what they need to survive at home? Besides, some of them live too far from the campuses- transport fees and the like might be a strain on their funds."  
  
"Schooling can seem like a luxury when you’re barely making enough to get by," Natsuki murmurs in agreement, idly tapping her pen against the paper. "We might want to consider bringing up a re-evaluation of the minimum wage- and perhaps we could suggest offering financial aid to compensate for any other necessities that the free education act doesn't cover?"  
  
“We could consider arranging fixed transport systems across the island to the schools as well. Could standardise an affordable rate for students.”

“I should be able to get Susumu-san in on the idea. While we're on the issue of budgets, though…"

The discussion proceeds in very much the same fashion- suggestions are thrown out, debated, and ultimately listed down or crossed off the agenda entirely. All the while, Natsuki can’t help but note that Hoshigaki doesn’t move from the balcony, and more than once, she finds her eyes flickering over to the door, each time feeling a twinge of regret for having left the blinds open. She’s already twitchy enough as it is, but she forces herself to zero in on the current discussion and thus stoically disregards that detail.

By the end of the meeting, the three of them have powered through the entire pot of tea, and had a list of the key projects they would try pitching to the relevant authorities. When they’ve finally sorted out what they can, Natsuki leans back against the couch and sighs, feeling an odd mixture of contentment and gratitude and slight discomfort swirling in her mind. Just the thought of doing all of this on her own would have driven her insane. Sure, there’s not much she and her friends can do with just them, but they could give each other a hand while keeping them on their toes as well- and once more, Natsuki is struck by the guilt of keeping so many secrets from them.

“You guys are the best,” she says earnestly, and both of her friends look up at her with mild surprise written across their faces. With a slightly mischievous smile, Natsuki adds, “Thanks for doing all the paperwork that I don’t have to.”

Hatsume bursts into laughter at that, while Tatsumi merely grunts and looks away.

“Very appreciative of you, Natsuki-chan.” Hatsume’s eyes glitter with mirth and fondness despite her sardonic tone, and again that sliver of guilt in Natsuki’s chest makes itself known. These guys mean so much to her, and they deserve better than this game she’s playing. But she can’t say or change anything about what’s been done- especially not while one of her biggest secrets is less than seven feet away, right outside on her balcony. Why is he still there, anyway?

“In any case, it's getting late. We should be headed back now.” Tatsumi announces as he gets to his feet, stretching his arms above his head and popping a few bones while he does so. Natsuki and Hatsume concede wordlessly, all of them standing and packing everything up, and Tatsumi leans forward to plant his index finger firmly on Natsuki's forehead, a stern frown on his face. “You, try and get some sleep.”

“I'll do my best.” Natsuki salutes mockingly, which only makes him roll his eyes as he retracts his hand.

"You coming over to Akira’s this weekend?” Hatsume asks as they make their way towards the door, and Natsuki shakes her head with remorse.  
  
“I’ve got plans with family, sorry.”  
  
“Right. Your aunt and nephew, was it?" Tatsumi asks, to which Natsuki merely nods along. She's been filled in on the cover story her parents are using to explain Juugo and Mitsuha staying with them- distant relatives who had been displaced during the Second War and had recently gotten into contact again. Tatsumi scratches his chin- Natsuki can see just a hint of stubble showing through- as he muses aloud, “Everyone’s talking about it. There were all kinds of speculations until your mother gave a statement.”

Natsuki groans as she opens the door, already thinking of all the undoubtedly wild rumours that people had managed to concoct in such a short time. Even after deciding that they'd keep Mitsuha and Juugo's surnames out of their documents- the same action Kaoru and Hiroki had taken- there's probably already suspicions about their shinobi lineage. After the stirrup her own incident has managed to cause, the tensions would still be running high- and she's still in the middle of sorting all of that out, too. It just never seems to end.

Hatsume squeezes her arm encouragingly as she passes her by, an assuring smile on her face. "Hey, don't worry about it, Natsuki-chan. The rumours will go away after a couple of weeks. Besides, with you and your family's backing, no one's going to try anything funny."

That doesn't bode very well for the ones who _don't_ have their backing, though- but Natsuki keeps her thoughts to herself as she offers Hatsume a wordless, yet appreciative nod. As she watches her friends pull on their shoes again and walk out into the hallway, Natsuki urges herself to smile, ignoring the sudden weight of fatigue and expectation resting on her shoulders. "You guys get home safe, alright?"

"Will do, Natsu." Tatsumi gives her a curt nod while Hatsume waves at her in farewell, and Natsuki watches as they reach the end of the hallway and begin descending the stairwell before she finally closes the door again. She leans her head against the door as she reactivates the security perimeters again, trying not to sigh as she runs through her to-do list in her head. There's so much to do… but she can rest later. Right now there's another priority that needs seeing to.  
  
Pushing herself off the wooden door, Natsuki walks back into her living room, and her gaze is once again drawn to the sliding glass door. Hoshigaki's no longer on her balcony outright, but she can feel him hovering on the edge of the roof- as if it matters. Taking a deep breath, Natsuki heads for the balcony with a surge of confidence that doesn't really settle in her bones, unlocking the door and pushing it aside for her to step through.

"Sorry if that was longer than you anticipated. Politics is a lot more paperwork than you'd expect." Hoshigaki doesn't respond, but Natsuki knows he can hear her even as she keeps her voice down. Her eyes follow the outline of her two friends walking along the mostly vacant street- no matter the people wandering about, there's no way they can hear her from down there, and so she continues speaking without fear. “Don't worry. The neighbours are asleep- I'll let you know if there's anyone eavesdropping.”

“Does your country even have the money to sustain the kind of financial aid programme you were suggesting?"

His unexpected reply, said in such a calm, yet almost lilting voice actually makes Natsuki turn her head in his general direction just to stare for a long moment. There’s... no way he heard that. Not with the soundproofing seals intact.

“To answer your question- yes, we do. We've been doing pretty well since the end of the war, and the budget this year has already set aside more funds for the education sector.” Natsuki crosses her hands over her chest, still staring at his invisible outline with mild disbelief. “To present a question of my own- did you really come here just to peek in on my meeting?” And somehow read their draft _or_ their lips as they spoke?

“You should consider closing your blinds if you want more privacy.” There's definitely a note of taunting in there, and Natsuki very nearly twitches with irritation. Stupid sarcastic ninja.

“I don't expect to have ninja hanging out on my balcony to try and watch me talk about the GDP.”

“You should always cover all your bases. Someone might slip under your sensing radar one of these days, and they might not be so friendly."

“That's what the other seals are for- handling people who have no respect for my privacy.” Natsuki looks away, trying not to sound too petulant as she curtly adds, “Luckily for you, I've been keeping this balcony murder-free.” Unintentionally, Natsuki's eyes are drawn towards the chair on her balcony as she says that- and she abruptly stops when she sees the noticeably untouched food carrier still sitting on top of it.

“You still haven't eaten this?” Natsuki blurts out before Hoshigaki can reply to her previous statement, and the beat of silence that follows the abrupt change in topic is proof that she'd actually thrown him off for a bit there.

“I couldn't be sure you were really the one who put it there.”

Oh gods. Not just a criminal, but a _paranoid_ criminal.

“Well, I did. Do I have to take a mouthful before you believe it's not poisoned again?”

“Perhaps," Hoshigaki counters, and it's hard not to roll her eyes at the half-joking tone that's somehow _obviously_ not joking. Natsuki goes to do exactly as she says anyway, just because she's determined to prove that she’s not trying to kill him with offers of dinner, only to grimace as she takes a spoonful of the _far_ too cold rice.

“You have something against warm meals, kouhai?” Natsuki asks after she's swallowed that unpleasant mouthful, only barely noticing how Hoshigaki's chakra doesn't quite twitch the same way it had before at the nickname. Is the efficacy of the moniker wearing off? What a shame.

“Unlike some people, I know how to make sure I don't end up dying prematurely," He says, sounding none too snide. Natsuki turns back to look at him then, feeling a surge of defensiveness that burns at the tip of her tongue- before an abrupt wave of calm washes over her as she realises something.

Hoshigaki _really_ doesn't trust her. All his life he's been raised with this idea that everyone could try to kill him, and she's no exception. _Tools_ , she remembers Zabuza saying from that story so long ago. Tools who have no purpose beyond doing as they're told, with no need for bonds and relationships that would hinder their efficacy. She doesn't know how Kiri trains their young or when they start drilling that kind of mentality into them, but what she remembers of Hoshigaki’s story is the circle of constant betrayal dictated by the commands of his village that had led him to his defection. He doesn't trust her because he doesn't think he can, or should.

Something about that moves Natsuki enough to do what she does next without a second thought.

“I'm reheating this," she promptly declares, gesturing to the container with a pointed look. Walking towards the doorway leading back into her home, Natsuki stops on the threshold and looks over her shoulder, asking, “Do you want to come inside and have some tea? The leaves should still be good for one more pot.”

The quietude that follows her offer is almost painfully awkward, but Natsuki doesn't let it affect her. She also squashes down the sound, logical voice in her mind that's screaming at her with a megaphone and setting off every alarm in her head to tell her that she's _an absolute idiot,_ which would usually go against her better judgement. She could afford to offer at least this basic courtesy to someone who's not only helped her, but is also soul-bound to her. If not as a politeness, then as an apology.

“You would invite a shinobi into your home,” Hoshigaki says slowly, sounding about as mystified as he does condescending. Natsuki can't fault him for the disbelief- or for the clear disapproval for her life choices- and she merely shrugs.

“Don't worry. I promise you won't be set on fire upon entry.”

“You have no sense of self-preservation, do you?”

“Oh, make no mistake. I could blow this whole place up if you try anything.” Natsuki makes sure to inject just enough gravitas into her voice so that he would know she isn’t joking, while still keeping her voice light enough to be cordial. “But it won't come to that.”

Hoshigaki's chakra swirls with just a touch of apprehension now. “You seem so sure of yourself.”

“I am,” She agrees breezily. "It's also less risky than talking out here where everyone can hear us. I’m getting a little tired of speaking in whispers like this.”

The pause this time seems a little more deliberate- contemplative, almost. With a note of wonderment, Hoshigaki says, “I’m starting to see how those shinobi managed to kidnap you in the first place.”

“You’re an exception, not the norm, kouhai.” Natsuki shakes her head, turning and heading straight towards the kitchen as a means of ending the discussion there. “It’s cold out here, so just come inside when you want to- but wipe off your shoes, okay? I just mopped."

With that, Natsuki does as she says and leaves her sliding door wide open for Hoshigaki to come in, all her security seals deactivated with no means of stopping him from entering whatsoever. Natsuki knows very well what a gamble this is- Hoshigaki may not have attempted to harm her so far, but his motives are still an unknown factor to her that doesn't entirely discount the probability that he's waiting for the right time to do so. She knows very well that she wouldn't stand a chance against Hoshigaki in a battle of sheer force alone, but in her home, where she's got emergency measures engraved into the woodwork, her weapons in the next room and enough pre-made seals to keep him distracted for at least a good while, she could yet find a means of escape.

The odds aren't exactly in her favour, but they're not as imbalanced as he might assume. If he does have a hidden agenda, and he tries to kill her- well, this might be a good chance to figure out if her hypothesis about her security seals holding up is right.

It takes a long time for Hoshigaki to make up his mind- long enough for Natsuki to pour out the rice in the container into her pan for reheating, and for her to pull on her headband as she does so. The moment she feels his chakra hopping from the roof onto her balcony, Natsuki takes another slow, long breath as she braces herself for this possibly awkward conversation- and to quash the alarms going off in her head.

She really, really hopes she’s making the right decision here.

* * *

The more he sees of Hagiwara, the more he’s starting to wonder how she’d survived her kidnapping in the first place. The fact that she had, however, is enough to make him particularly wary of her intentions- after all, as she herself had said, any underestimation on his end can and will be used to her advantage. As it is, he’s looking around at the minimalist decor of her apartment, trying to make out even the faintest hint of the seals that he knows are written into these walls, but there’s nothing to give it away at all. If there’s a root source for these security measures, they’re really well hidden- but after seeing how easily Hagiwara activates her seals with just a touch of her hand, he has a feeling that she’d likely painted them straight into the walls, though how they remain intangible to anyone but her escapes him. All those old legends about Uzushiogakure come to mind- stories of seals that could contain human souls and call upon beings from beyond death- and Kisame wonders just how much truth there is to those old tales.

Then again, most of those stories had also branded the Uzumaki as demons that needed to be put down before they could unleash unthinkable harm upon the land. He can’t say for sure just what kind of person Hagiwara is, but ‘demon’ is so far off from anything he’d use to describe her that it’s laughable. He's seen what demons and monsters were capable of, and Hagiwara is not one of them.

"Take a seat, kouhai." Hagiwara’s voice calls out to him then, an almost throaty contralto that draws his attention with ease. She’s placing the plate of freshly-reheated rice on the circular table in her kitchen area, gesturing for him to take a seat as she goes to wash her hands. “The soundproofing seals are up again. You don't have to worry about anyone listening in on us.”

“This whole place is rigged, isn't it?” He asks, his conversational tone belying the tenseness in his demeanour- and it’s not just because Samehada is getting agitated by the constant stream of chakra from the walls and floorboards. Hagiwara appears more at ease in this place than he’s ever seen her before, her hair pulled back by a plain black headband that somehow softens her overall appearance- and that impression is further helped along by the fact that she’s clad in short pants and an oversized shirt in an ensemble that altogether screams homeliness.

Everything about this situation only serves to make him feel like an intruder in a space he shouldn’t be in. He doesn’t belong in this… normalcy.

“I'm nothing if not thorough with security.”

“Yet you left your balcony unattended to.”

“One of my neighbours has cats that like to wander. I just wasn't keen on having to clean feline splatter off my porch." Her blunt response makes his lips twitch- he’d been right when he’d assumed she was a cat person. No doubt the influence of her summon contract, or perhaps it’s the other way around. Her next question makes him pause, however. “Do you want tea, or would you prefer water?”

“...Tea is fine,” He replies, approaching the table carefully as she pours out two cups of tea for them. He has to wonder why she still hasn’t made any mention of the payment, especially since this presents the perfect opportunity. That’s what he’d initially come here for, but she’d completely blindsided him with that offer of dinner again- and he’d assumed that was maybe a ploy, that she wanted to talk shop indoors where it was safer.

But… here they are, and she’s still not bringing it up. At all.

Hagiwara dries her hands on her shirt as she pulls up a chair at the dining table- directly opposite of his, he notes- and he eyes her warily as she reaches into her pocket and draws out- a crumpled notebook. A pen follows suit, and he watches her flip the book open to a page as she gestures once more to his seat- an obvious reminder for him to take his place at the table. Kisame does so with caution, still not quite sure if she’s got something she wants to say or do- but Hagiwara is utterly silent as she takes to writing in her little notebook on her own, leaving him to his own devices.

Not quite knowing what else to do, Kisame decides he might as well start on the meal Hagiwara had offered. He isn’t exactly hungry, but… there’s not much else to do while he’s here. He hadn’t eaten all that much today, anyway- and for all his doubts, Hagiwara’s not a half-bad cook. This meal is pretty similar to the kind of food he’s used to back in Water Country- not as complex or different as that dish she’d given him yesterday- and when he doesn’t start feeling ill after the first bite, he figures it’s safe to assume that she’d kept her word on not trying to poison him.

With nothing else to focus on, Kisame finds his gaze drifting towards Hagiwara’s notebook. There are schematics and what looks like strings of sealing formulae all over the page she’s on, none of which make sense to him at a glance. Hagiwara appears utterly engrossed in her notes as she writes down even more jargon that he can’t understand, making footnotes here and there in- is that Modern Lightning? The alphabet definitely isn’t that of colloquial Continental, and nothing like Water’s derivative of the common letters. He has to wonder just how many languages his soulmate knows- and how she can be so unguarded as to not pay him any attention. She’s completely exposed to attack like this, and there are so many openings to exploit that she could be dead in seconds- all that talk about defence seals be damned, there’s no point to any of that if she’s taken down before she can activate any of them.

Hagiwara suddenly looks up, her dark eyes looking brighter, somehow, without her hair framing her face. "Something you need?"

“It's usually common sense that you shouldn't take your eyes off a shinobi,” Kisame replies evenly, trying to make sure his meaning isn’t lost on her. Hagiwara merely quirks an eyebrow in response.

“Only if they're antagonistic. That I've survived this long is already enough reason for me to trust that you have no malicious intentions.”

Trust is a big word- and it’s one she’s using wrongly, especially where he’s concerned. “You shouldn't. You don’t even know my name.”

“That's a call that I'm going to make for myself,” she replies easily, and Kisame feels the corners of his mouth downturning into a frown. Now she just sounds like she isn’t taking him seriously, and it’s only fuelling his apprehension. It just doesn’t seem possible for someone to be this naturally careless. Is this all just an act to make him lower his guard? If it is, he refuses to let it work.

“Why are you doing all of this?”

Whatever merriment that had been on her face quickly fades at the question. It’s obvious she realises he isn’t just referring to this trivial conversation.  
  
“As I said before- I owe you for everything you did for me when I got kidnapped.” Hagiwara puts down her pencil, looking him dead in the eye as she speaks. “You’re a long way from home, and I’m sure you’re sick of hanging out in the forest and having to go through a whole lot of trouble just for a simple meal.” Kisame tenses- she’d known where he’s been this whole time? Just how good is her sensory range? “This is just my way of saying thanks. That’s all there is to it.”  
  
“You could just pay me what you owe and I’d be on my way. This is far more effort than necessary.”  
  
“It doesn’t feel right to just hand you cash and send you off just like that.” Something in Hagiwara’s expression wavers- there’s suddenly a bit of uncertainty in her eyes, and her next words make his jaw clench slightly. “We’re- soulmates, aren’t we? That has to count for something.”

He's wondering the same thing, too. He'd certainly believed that just enough to defect from his village for it- and yet, now he isn’t sure. All he knows for sure in this moment is that Hagiwara had been deceptive enough to escape her captors even before he’d caught up to her in the forest, and that she’d managed to lie her way out of a confrontation with one of the Sannin, as well. There’s no telling what her goal is, and he isn’t about to be played for a fool.

“What do you want from me, Hagiwara-san?”

Realisation visibly dawns on her face at that, her eyes widening in alarm. Quietly, she murmurs, “You think I’m trying to use you.”

There’s a beat of silence, during which he neither denies nor confirms her statement. The moment is broken when Hagiwara leans back in her chair with a quiet sigh, her expression shifting into something more... subdued, almost, as she shakes her head.. “That’s not something you have to worry about. There’s nothing I want that you could give me.”  
  
He blinks, momentarily thrown. That’s not an answer he’d expected- but he refrains from showing it, still wearing his usual wry grin. “Really? There aren’t any enemies you’d want to silence? No competing nations who are giving you trouble?”

There’s no other way to describe it- Hagiwara’s face closes off. The only emotion he can discern from her eyes is reflected in her tone; neutral, yet somehow freezing. “I am many things, kouhai- but I’m not the kind of person who’d make anyone do something I wouldn’t do myself. The only thing that could ever be born from the kind of despotism you’re suggesting is corruption and fear.” A shadow crosses her face- one that’s so fleeting he almost misses it. “Maybe that’s how the shinobi villages are run, but that’s not how I do things.”

Oh, there was definitely venom in that last bit. “How do you intend to run your country, then?”  
  
“Why should that matter to you?” Hagiwara’s gaze is almost eerily unreadable as she turns the question on him, obviously deciding that she isn’t about to just respond to his queries without receiving any information for herself. His grin gains a bit of an edge at that- she’s finally showing just what she’s capable of in a battle of wits.

“Call it curiosity,” he says, and he almost wants to laugh when her eyes narrow at him- looks like she recognises that throwback to their first encounter. Still, he isn’t lying- he does wonder what her plan is when it comes to governance. He also can’t brush aside the possibility that it’s just a bluff, and that she’s trying to save face by making vague allusions to what her goal really is.

And maybe he is a bit curious to know if she really does have a vision as different as she implies.

When Hagiwara speaks again, it’s with such assurance and dignity that he finds all his doubts about her ability to lead - momentarily silenced.  
  
“I plan on giving my people a voice.” The context of that statement alone confounds him enough to make him listen, and even if that didn’t, the way she looks at him- calm, yet unyielding; as if daring him to dismiss her words- earns his utmost attention. “Regardless of status, or occupation, or anything beyond the fact that they live on this land. I’ll make it so that anyone can speak out against injustice and have the power to change it, where leaders will be decided by the people instead of for them. If it is the welfare of the many that is at stake, then I believe the many should have a say in who should lead the way towards that goal.”

The silence that follows her confident speech carries a weight that, while not quite unpleasant, makes him pause. What she’s suggesting is unheard of- to let the _common folk_ decide who leads? To give them the power to exercise change and demand it of their superiors? Does that mean she intends to make it so that the people could just as easily elect one of their own, from even the bottommost rungs, to take the reins?

“Those are nice words, but you realise that such a thing would put even your position in danger. You could very well lose to someone under your command,” Kisame points out, all while watching her reaction closely. He expects her to bristle, or maybe even frown at the notion, but all Hagiwara does is nod in agreement.

“That's fine. If there's someone more qualified, with a better vision- it’s okay if I step down. It’s better than just passing on the mantle of leadership to the next bigshot that happens to be born to the right family.” Another fleeting shadow dashes across her face. “Or worse yet- to let some tyrant barge in and rule without opposition.”

Kisame can't help but stare. This is the first time he's heard anyone in a position of power so blatantly declare that they'd willingly step down without fighting for their right to rule. She doesn't appear to be lying about her convictions either, and the way she says it makes it sound so easy for any group of people to just demand change.

There's a huge flaw in that logic, however. Kisame doesn’t stop the sardonic edge from leaking into his voice as he says, “Maybe that concept could work for a civilian country like this- but it wouldn't survive in shinobi villages. Protesting against a Kage who could destroy the entire village on a whim wouldn’t do anything but get you killed.”

"And what would be left of a Kage if they just killed everyone who disagrees with them? You can’t have a shadow when there’s nothing and no one to cast it.”

Kisame tries to think of a comeback for that- and finds himself coming up short. Hagiwara sits back in her chair, her arms folded across her chest as she continues, “It’s easy to forget that there are ten times as many subjects than there are those in charge. But when those subjects speak up as one, that tends to serve as a reminder- that a leader only has power because there are people to be led.”

It’s almost as if she’s speaking an entirely new language. It's not that he doesn't understand what she’s saying, but the concept is so outside anything he’s ever come to believe- and somehow, the logic in it seems sound. He still doesn’t think such revolutionary idealogies could ever come to bloom within any shinobi nation- it would be stomped out before it could even take root- and yet, in the context of this small, peaceful island.... he wonders how it would play out. The steps that would need to be taken to introduce such a system would undoubtedly meet resistance from those in power- but Hagiwara’s also the next in line. Would her opinion and vision really win against the authority that has already been established? Is she truly dedicated to such an outlandish goal?  
  
The answer is uncertain. Kisame would be lying if he said he isn't interested to see how it goes.

“You’re going to make an interesting leader, Hagiwara-san.” And he means it.

Hagiwara scoffs. “I hope you’re not expecting me to forget that you accused me of trying to get you to kill all my enemies just by tossing me an offhand compliment.” Despite her words, Kisame sees the rigidity in her stance easing as the nature of the conversation seems to veer into less tense territory. Her gaze drifts towards the half-finished meal still sitting before him, and her lip curls into a rather disapproving frown.“Your rice is cold again. You really do have something against hot meals, don’t you?”

Kisame allows a chuff of laughter past his lips at that, but decidedly remains silent as he focuses his attention back on the food once again. Hagiwara goes back to writing in her notebook again as well- though if it’s not his imagination, there seems to be a bit more agitation in her scribbling than before. He wonders if she’s not as unaffected by their tense exchange as she’d made herself out to be- but again, he doesn’t voice his observation. He’s riled her up enough for one day, and a part of him does regret not finishing his food earlier. It’s been ages since he’s had a warm meal like this, and for all his earlier suspicions about Hagiwara, he appreciates it.

Speaking of which.

“I forgot to thank you for the food.”  
  
Her writing stops as she’s halfway through a complex character, her eyes briefly flickering up to his with a look of astonishment. After a brief pause, she looks back at her notebook and continues writing, all while mumbling a quiet, “Don’t mention it, kouhai.”

Is she annoyed with him? Her reaction definitely seems to suggest it, but Kisame doesn't press. It's not his place to, especially seeing as he's almost definitely the source of her annoyance. The rest of their brief meeting continues in silence, and the moment he's done with the food, Kisame chances another look at Hagiwara. She looks troubled now, as if she's got something she desperately wants to ask- and right as he thinks that, she speaks to him again.

"What do you think an ideal world would be, kouhai?"

Well, that question isn't one he'd expected. The concept is amusing, though.

"I don't think such a thing exists," he says plainly. "It's only natural for humans to lie and fight in the pursuit of our own interests. We don't have what it takes to create perfection."

Oddly enough, his answer seems to satisfy Hagiwara, whose lips twitch into a small, yet sad smile. "And yet, it is in our nature to seek out happiness and our own ideals of perfection. Maybe the only satisfaction to be found is in the search itself."

Kisame wonders if there's truth in that. Hagiwara shakes her head gently, as if denying a thought that had crossed her mind, before her dark eyes flicker back towards him. "You can name your price for the escort mission, kouhai. I'll get the money ready for you as soon as I can."

So, she's finally asking. Sitting back in his chair, he quotes, "Eighty thousand ryo.”

Hagiwara looks mortified. “You're joking,” she tries, but when Kisame doesn't make any indication that he's anything but serious, she sucks in a breath through her teeth. “By the Sage, you really don't undersell yourself.”

“I had to avoid an entanglement with one of the Sannin while watching over you. You said you'd compensate me for my troubles- and that was a rather big one.”

“Well- I guess? Still. Eighty thousand." Hagiwara starts tapping her fingers together in obvious perturbation as she stares at the wall, likely running over the numbers in her head. Kisame wonders how the Onami’s heir could possibly be so troubled because of money, of all things- even if he’s aware of how hefty his demand is. Most nobles he knows of are generally well-off- and even if Waves is a fairly new country, he’s pretty sure their head of state should at least be able to live comfortably. He’s seen the Onami’s two-storey estate- though now that he thinks about it, the fact that Hagiwara is living rather far out of the business district should have indicated that she isn’t exactly living off her parents’ income. Even her green-eyed friend lives in a nicer building than hers.

“You’re next in line to lead a country,” he says, and lets her derive the insinuation from that on her own. The look she sends his way is so dry it’s a wonder the humidity in the air isn’t starting to recede in turn.  
  
“I don’t just get magically rich by existing- I have to _work_ for my pay. What do you take me for, some Daimyo’s brat?”  
  
“Your friend called you Hime.”

“You got that?” Hagiwara looks utterly baffled for a second, before she quickly shakes it off and regains her stern expression. “No, actually, that doesn’t matter. Eighty thousand ryo. Yeah, okay, I can do that. Yeah." The more she repeats that, the more he starts to wonder if she really can afford it. "Just... give me a couple of days to withdraw the money- I've got a limit on my account, and I don't want to raise any suspicions."

"That's fine." More than fine. It'll at least give him a couple days to figure out where to go from here once this is over.

"Let me get that for you," Hagiwara mutters absently as she gets to her feet all of a sudden, walking over to his side of the table to snag the empty plate from him. The shortened distance between them makes him tense slightly, but Hagiwara remains oblivious as she simply takes the plate and proceeds to deposit it in the sink, even as he feels Samehada bristling from the close contact. Glancing over her shoulder, Hagiwara asks, “Will you be stopping by tomorrow night as well?"

Kisame takes a second to process that question, already standing as he prepares to leave. After all that, she's still asking if he'll come by? Is she planning to pay him in installments, or is this her way of gauging his movements?

“Maybe," he replies- and much to his surprise, she seems to perk up slightly at that. What the hell?  
  
“I’ll leave the carrier on the chair, then. If you want to come inside, just knock.” Hagiwara shoots him a smile as she shakes off the water from her hands before leading the way back to the balcony door- and her offer only further compounds his confusion. What is she trying to gain from this? As much as he'd like an answer, Hagiwara doesn't explain anything more as she merely opens the sliding door and steps to the side, allowing him to pass with a short wave of her hand. I’ll be sure to leave a note in the container next time so you'll know I put it there."

"You realise all of this is unnecessary," he says, pausing in the doorway for a moment in a last attempt to figure out what she's doing. Hagiwara's smile softens slightly, and he swears he a glint of warmth seems to enter her eyes as she nods.

"It’s alright to take what you can get sometimes, kouhai." She lifts her hand in a two fingered salute- the same gesture she'd shot her friend earlier, though there's a less mocking air to it this time. "I'll see you around, kouhai.”

Kisame doesn't know what he should say in response. Instead, he just nods once, and uses a shunshin to jump onto the roof of the building across the street, spurred on by a vaguely uneasy feeling that has suddenly made itself known. Whatever game Hagiwara's trying to play here, he can't figure out what her aim is- all he knows is that she'd let her guard down enough that she'd let him into her home, is intent on providing him with at least one meal a day, and she's got opinions that differ from his so vastly it's almost hilarious.

She also looks at him like she genuinely believes he won't try to hurt her. He doesn't know how much of that is real, or if he can return that sentiment.

Kisame feels the itch on his wrist intensifying the further he gets away from Hagiwara's place, and he curses quietly under his breath as he shakes it off. It's because of that damn compass that he's here, caught up in all of this, and no better off than he was before. At least in Kiri, he hadn't needed to hide out in the wild every night like some kind of animal, making camp amidst the trees and keeping out of sight the entire time. At least he could walk among people without feeling the need to hide- even if they in turn sometimes tried to hide from him. He's getting a little sick of this routine he has now, hours upon hours of almost _nothing_ besides trekking through the jungle to hunt and gather resources, even if his recent visits with Hagiwara have made his nights a little less monotonous.

Though, perhaps with this newest development, that could change. Hagiwara had asked for a couple of days to get the money ready, so that gives him a bit more time to loiter around- and after their conversation, he's interested in looking around this country with a bit more attention than before. The way the people here behave at a glance doesn't seem all that different from what he'd expect of any regular nation, but perhaps it's time he starts looking a little deeper beyond the surface. See if Hagiwara's all talk, or if she's genuinely put some effort into walking the path she claims to believe in.

Despite everything, Kisame feels his lips twitching into a smile. Maybe things are finally getting a little interesting around here.

* * *

Kaoru’s eyes rove over each sealing branch written onto the sheet of paper splayed over the living room desk, her pen poised against the spare piece of parchment she’s using to rewrite and double-check all the new enhancements and balancers Natsuki’s placed on this modified seal. Everything had checked out the first time she’d run through this draft, but given the risk involved in this seal, she’s not taking any chances without at least proofreading it a third time. The hour is late, and she’s got to check in to her station tomorrow- but time is precious, and the sooner they get this settled, the better.

The sound of footsteps reaches her ears- a tempo and lightness so familiar to her that she would be able to pick it out from almost any crowd. When a pair of long, tawny arms come to rest over her shoulders, Kaoru lets herself lean back into the embrace, her head coming to rest upon Ayano's chest as she closes her eyes. Her soulmate's heartbeat beats in tandem with hers, and Kaoru allows that steady rhythm to calm her anxieties as she grasps one of Ayano's hands, bringing it to her lips and pressing a kiss against her palm. The action earns her a quiet laugh that makes Kaoru grin against the hand still pressed to her mouth- she’s always been a little bit ticklish.

"Don’t distract me. What's keeping you up so late, Kaoru?" Ayano asks, resting her chin against her head without once releasing her embrace. Kaoru laces her fingers between hers as she looks back at the seal, concern settling between her brow and in the curve of her lips.

"This seal is going to be dangerous. I don't know if I should really let Natsu help me on this."

"I thought she was good at this sealing work?"

"She is." Brilliantly so, and honestly far better than Kaoru herself had been at that age. Maybe even better than she is now- Natsuki’s always taken to the sealing arts with far more interest than her, and Kaoru’s strength leans towards her ninjutsu, anyway. Still… "But I remember how Narumi could get when she used her kekkei genkai. Whenever she got upset, she could have trouble transforming back- and it would get messy when she wouldn't. I don't know if I want to put Natsu in the way of all of that."

Ayano hums, her thumb gently rubbing circles into her skin. "You'll be in there to keep things under control. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle it, for the both of you."

She knows that, and she knows that whatever a four year-old might be capable of will hardly be as lethal as an Aratani in her prime- but this is her _daughter_ she’s involving. Her only child. "I still don't like it. I'd rather keep her out of the room entirely, to be honest."

"She wouldn't forgive you for that- and neither would I," Ayano reminds her, a hint of sternness leaking into her otherwise gentle cadence. Kaoru smiles a little bit at that- she's always been such a worrywart. "It's safer with two people- you said it yourself. Nacchan’s more than capable of holding her own, too."

Kaoru’s smile slowly drops from her face as those words evoke yet another concern that's been lingering in her mind. She’s only been back for two days, and with everything going on with Mitsuha and Juugo, she hasn’t really been able to grasp the full severity of the situation in Waves after Natsuki’s return- but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been wondering about it. Turning so that she can look up at her wife, she asks, "Aya, how are things going after-” The reveal. The kidnapping. Konoha’s supposed aid. “-everything?"

Ayano is quiet for a moment as she straightens up, her hands coming to rest on Kaoru’s shoulders as she contemplates her answer. "Natsuki’s handling things on the public front. Some of the executive councilmen had some disagreements over whether this should affect her qualification as my heir, but no one can argue that she's still the most promising candidate. They tried to push for Tatsumi to take over, but he refused." There’s a brief pause, and Kaoru notes the small smile that crosses Ayano’s face as she says, "There was overwhelming support from the civilian council, too. Thanks to that, there’s not as big a fuss as I expected."

The inference from that makes Kaoru smile as well, but only slightly so. There are other pressing matters she needs to confirm. "What did Souji-san have to say?"

"He's keeping an eye on the elders for me- trying to see if it was one of them who sent the ninja."

"You don't think...?"

"We can't overlook the possibility- but, no, I don't think it was one of them." Ayano’s gaze drifts off to the side, a trickle of anxiety leaking into her expression. Kaoru catches on to her unspoken guess almost immediately- only because she’s had the same suspicion, herself. She hadn’t been sure before, but if _Aya_ thinks so too, then there’s definitely merit to the speculation.

"Konoha." Even knowing that the room is shuttered with soundproofing seals, Kaoru says the name quietly, and with no lack of trepidation. "But why?"

Ayano’s expression is one of distinct worry now, her lips pressing into a thin line as she nods. "Remember that petition last year?"

Kaoru gives a hum of affirmation. Natsuki had surprised them all with that move- making the knowledge of her recommendation to give the civilian council equal say in governance public and starting a list of signatures to prove how many supported that goal. The executive council had been pressed into agreeing by that point, despite the earlier dissension from the elders, especially since so many people had demanded it. Ayano shifts slightly on her feet as she confesses, "Souji-san told me that the Daimyo had quite a few questions about that, the last time he went to the capital."

Kaoru feels a chill run down her spine, worry lodging in her throat at the implications. "You think the Fire Daimyo might be responsible?"

"I think that if he’s paying attention to us, Konoha might be, too." Ayano looks tired- her age suddenly making itself all too apparent in the profound frown lines of her forehead. Kaoru wishes she could do more to assuage her fears. "What happened then was unheard of- it's started something, Kaoru. Change doesn't always sit well with everyone, and it's all tied to her name. I don't know what to expect from this- or if she'll be able to handle the consequences."

Seeing the look of resigned concern on her wife's face is enough to make Kaoru forget about the seal on the table as she pushes herself onto her feet, making Ayano relinquish her grasp on her shoulders. Kneeling on the couch, she takes Ayano’s face in her hands, her touch gentle as she runs her thumbs along the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes and absently marvelling at how much time has changed both of them. So many years have passed since they’d met on that dock, barely adults in the face of a crumbling world and struggling to make it out alive- and yet here they are, still standing together against all odds.

"Natsu's always taken after you more. I'm sure that alone will see that she makes it out of this," Kaoru declares as she leans down to press her forehead against Ayano's, a soft smile playing on her lips when she closes her eyes and relaxes against her touch. "We'll make sure of that. She isn't going to face this on her own."

The two of them remain that way for a few moments, just basking in the reassurance of words that might be meaningless- and yet seem so certain when they're spoken between them with all the conviction of a promise. Ayano's hands come up to rest over her own as she opens her eyes again- and Kaoru notes the shadows under her eyes with something akin to reluctant acceptance in her chest. Being Onami isn't easy, and Aya's committed so many years of her life to this job that she’s more than earned her right to rest- but Kaoru knows that she won't. Not yet, when this country needs her.

That kind of selfless conviction makes her chest swell with both love and concern for her soulmate. She almost hopes that Natsuki hadn't inherited that bit of her mother's personality, too- she might actually go bald with worry.

"It's not just us," Ayano says, her quiet voice pulling her Kaoru of her musings. Her deep brown eyes appear distant as she speaks, her next words striking a mixture of surprise and concern into Kaoru's chest. "I think Nacchan came back with help."

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't noticed?" Ayano asks, and when Kaoru fails to respond, she lowers her hold on her left hand so that it comes to rest on her wrist, where she taps against her compass meaningfully. That alone is startling enough to make Kaoru pull back, her eyes wide with shock as she recalls how Natsuki had been wearing that bracelet over her wrist. How had she missed that? She'd been wearing it even as she'd rushed up to her on the docks, and hadn’t taken it off since!

"Who is it?"

"She hasn't told me yet."

"What? Why not?"

"It must have slipped her mind." Kaoru shoots her wife a rather unimpressed glance at that.

"These things don't just 'slip your mind', Aya."

"Well, she's always been a bit… indifferent about this." Even as she says it, Ayano’s expression fails to hide her own doubt. "I'm sure she'll tell us soon."

It's the logical deduction. Natsuki couldn't hide something like this forever- and maybe she really had forgotten to tell them, in the midst of everything that's going on. Maybe she's waiting for the right time to sit them down properly and tell them who her soulmate is and how they'd met, when they aren't swamped with a hundred other things to worry about.

It makes sense- but it also suggests that she thinks revealing her soulmate will add on to the list of problems they have. And that's... not particularly encouraging.

Kaoru sighs, resting her head against Ayano's shoulder. Her wife merely pats her back encouragingly, and with a quiet huff, she says, "I think it's time we both got to bed. Save the worrying for tomorrow."

Her suggestion receives no protest whatsoever. Kaoru’s only got one thing on her mind right now, and it would distract her from any job she tries to put her head to, so that makes proofreading the seal useless. With that, she willingly follows Ayano's lead as she guides her to their bed, and in that one moment between wakefulness and slumber, Kaoru isn't able to push aside the dreadful connection that she'd buried under fervent denial just minutes earlier. A suspicion she'd harboured for years ever since she'd seen her daughter's hand jerk at a phantom pain that isn't really hers, the occurrence happening far too often to be considered normal for a regular person. This secrecy of hers only further confirms what Kaoru's always known, try as she might to pretend otherwise.

 _Natsuki's soulmate is a shinobi._  
  
That single thought haunts her even as the clutches of sleep pull her into its blissfully silent embrace.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is brought to you by the headline "local ninja raised in a totalitarian military village with a literal caste system is BOGGLED by the concept of democracy". Alternatively "local woman says 'fuck ya ninja villages' to the tune of the chicken strips vine"
> 
> Also i have a tumblr @ droids-writes where i reblob content i think is neat and sometimes salt about bad final seasons of popular mass media so hmu over there if u wanna!


	8. Continuance

_A secret for a secret_ , she'd whispered- the last push to get Kushina to spill whatever's obviously on her mind. It's an unfair trade from the very start, with her knowing exactly what the kunoichi's secret is going to be and the full assurance that hers is that much more insignificant in comparison- at least, after all the censorship she'll put on the whole 'I know the future' ordeal. Natsuki eases into the deal with only a bit of hesitation, the words "I remember my past life" seeming at once like a relieving confession, yet also a shackle she's just clamped onto her own wrist. The fourteen year-old kunoichi had been utterly taken aback by the revelation, asking her a hundred questions ranging from what her name once was to how many pets she had, before she finally settled down and delivered on her side of the deal.

When Kushina speaks about her kidnapping at Kumo’s hands in hushed tones, her eyes grow a little misty as she speaks about how she’d been rescued by her soulmate- the only person in the entire village to have noticed her absence. Natsuki closes her hand in hers as she tells the story- It seems like an insignificant consolation, a silent affirmation that _I’m here, I see you and I care for you_ when the incident has long since passed, but Kushina seems to appreciate it anyway.

And then, she explained why she couldn’t tell her this before. Why she had such limited contact with Waves over the past two years since then, and why she hadn’t had the chance to visit them in so long. Kushina tells her of a duty that had been passed down to her from the First Hokage’s wife herself; of a monster with nine tails and nothing but disdain and hatred for humanity residing within her body. A prisoner kept within a cage of which she was the warden.

Natsuki listens to it all as she lies next to her on her bed, all the while checking to make sure the silencing seals in her room were up and active the whole time. And when Kushina finally finishes telling her one of Konoha’s most closely guarded secrets- _because we’re family, Nacchan, and they told me I could tell anyone I trusted_ \- Natsuki says what she’s really wanted to say the entire time.

“Why, then?”

Kushina turns to look at her with wide eyes at her question, her hair splayed around her head like a crimson fan. Natsuki’s own curls rest over the coverlet in much the same fashion, her legs hanging off the side of the bed as Kushina lies parallel to her, as well.

“What do you mean?”  
  
“You called the Kyuubi a monster. Why is that?”

The kunoichi’s face scrunches up in confusion. “Nacchan, it’s a _demon fox_. There is no _why-_ it nearly destroyed Konoha when it was founded, and it’d do it again!”  
  
“I thought that last attack happened only because Madara was controlling it?” Kushina starts, visibly thrown by that information that seems to have slipped her mind, and she presses on. “What did it really do before that? What were all the Tailed Beasts before everyone decided to turn them into weapons that needed to be tamed?”

“That’s…” The hesitation speaks for itself- no one ever speaks of the Tailed Beasts as anything but the gifts of the First Hokage to the rest of the nations- and Natsuki sees the brief realisation dawning on Kushina’s face. After everything she’s been through, it’s no wonder the blinds of propaganda and utter loyalty to Konoha have started being pulled back slightly from the kunoichi’s eyes. It’s not quite the critical lens that Natsuki views the shinobi system through, but it’s critical nonetheless- though Kushina quickly shakes her head as though to clear that thought from her mind. “Why does it matter? It’d try to kill all of us if it had the chance.”  
  
“Only because we’d try to shove it back into another container. If I had to be forced into submission against my will, I’d kill anyone who tried to put me back too.” Natsuki pretends not to see Kushina flinch at her words, but she softens her voice nonetheless. “You said it yourself. It can speak, and understand, and think for itself. Have you ever thought to wonder why it behaves the way it does? Where it came from? Hell, do you even know if it has a name?”

“Language,” Kushina absently berates, and Natsuki tries not to roll her eyes. She might be eight in body, but not in mind- and Kushina knows that now, but apparently the rules still apply to her. However, her barrage of questions seems to have irked Kushina, who sits up and glares down at her with a deep frown on her face. “Why does it matter? If it’d try to hurt any of us, do you think the reasoning would make a difference?”

Despite the aggression in her voice, Natsuki is careful not to react the same way. Instead, she maintains her gentle tone as she replies, “No, it wouldn’t. But I think that kind of isolation could drive any of us to madness, too.”

That seems to strike a chord. Kushina’s affronted look morphs into one of shock, and then uncomfortable realisation, before it finally settles on shame just before she pointedly looks away. Natsuki doesn’t push any further- she’s set the gears in Kushina’s mind in motion, and now that she’s found some sort of common ground for her to sympathise- somewhat- with the beast residing in the seal on her body, she can do the rest of the mental work herself.

After all, Kushina knows very well what loneliness feels like. To feel alone in the world when everyone looks at her with disdain.  
  
“So, what?” She asks, her voice still strained, but quieter this time. “You’re asking me to talk to the Kyuubi? To try and make friends with it?”

Natsuki shuffles a bit closer to the sulking kunoichi, still lying on her back as she pulls her legs up from over the side of the bed and nudges her knee against Kushina’s foot. “I just think that if you're going to be saddled with a tenant for life, you could at least try to get along. You get the freedom of breathing the air and seeing the sky- when was the last time it's ever had the same opportunity?"

Kushina doesn’t pull away from the contact, but she still doesn’t turn to look at her either, her arms crossed stubbornly over her knees as she stares at the opposite wall. When she finally speaks again, her voice is uncertain- hesitant, even despite the fear and distinct pensiveness permeating it. "You haven't seen it, Nacchan. It's so... _hateful_. It would want nothing more than to see the world burn."

The sorrow in her voice is enough to make Natsuki feel ashamed for how she’s pushing her own agenda in this conversation, when she knows what Kushina had been seeking is comfort. Just a bit of kindness and sympathy for this burden she’d been saddled with.

But it didn’t have to be a burden. It could be a boon, instead- if only she would listen to her, and the subtle warning she’s trying to impart here. She isn't sure if it'll really have any effect- but if it will make Naruto's future easier, maybe make the fox just a bit kinder to him when he becomes Kurama's new host, maybe the kid will have something a little better in the life that awaits him. Maybe not a friend, but something less vicious and desperate and hateful. It isn't much. Just- _something_. Surely, that much she can afford to try and give him- and with that determination fuelling her, Natsuki pushes herself into a sitting position as well, placing a hand on her cousin’s shoulder.

"Not all evil can be reasoned with, I know. But maybe there's more to this than you might think." She squeezes Kushina’s shoulder meaningfully, a last, vaguely desperate imploration for her to listen. "Just... give it a shot. Maybe you're right, and he really is beyond helping- but until you try, you won't know for sure. Sometimes a bit of kindness goes a long way."

Kushina is silent for a long while, and Natsuki begins to wonder if this was perhaps all for naught in the end when she finally sighs, turning her head so that their eyes finally meet again. "You're using a lot more big words than you did before. Guess that's 'cause you don't have to pretend anymore, huh?"

Natsuki doesn’t miss the change in topic, but she goes along with it with a smirk anyway. "I like not having to fake being another dumb kid. I take this trade-off as a pretty big win." Natsuki's tone borders on smugness, and it's enough to make Kushina roll her eyes and shove her lightly with her shoulder. Natsuki willingly falls back onto her side as she does so, a light laugh bubbling forth from her chest, and she hears Kushina sigh heavily again before she feels the bounce of the mattress when she throws herself back against the bed again, too.

Despite how lightly she speaks of it, Natsuki is all too aware of the heaviness of the truth she’d imparted- no one else knows who she really is, or was before. Not even her parents. Granted, it doesn’t bear as much weight as it would have had she come clean on her real knowledge of this story, nor the fact that she had been from a different world altogether, but it’s more than she’s ever told anyone before. One of her biggest secrets- and only Kushina Uzumaki knows.

"Were there monsters, back in your life before?" Kushina asks suddenly, and Natsuki pauses to think about that. She'd already explained before that her life had been a peaceful one- a regular civilian with no grand titles or expectations- and Kushina's eyes had lit up when she confessed that she hadn't lived through any wars in her lifetime then. That look had made Natsuki's chest ache- and it's the same look she's giving her now.

"There were- but they weren't beasts as you might think." Natsuki loops the edge of her shirt over her fingers, fidgeting once again as she remembers the horrors of the world she’d once resided in. "They were human- horrible, evil people who would have let even children burn as long as it never affected them."

Kushina nods idly at that, her eyes growing distant. "I think those kinds of monsters exist everywhere." The moment of detachment fades, and then Kushina’s looking at her again with a hesitant, yet genuinely curious look in her eye. "Do you miss it- your old life?"

Oh. She hasn’t… she’s not asked herself that question in years.

"Sometimes. Not so much anymore." Natsuki clears her throat, trying not to sound too choked up. She wants to stop there, but after everything Kushina’s told her, she feels obliged to return some of that sincerity- even if it’s not something she herself likes to hear. "To be honest, I used to hate that I was here. I didn't want to be alive if it meant living without the people I cared for- and it just felt unfair to have to start all over on my own." A deep breath. “I hated being reborn. I… didn’t see a point to it.”

The connotation of that confession hangs in the air like stagnant water, threatening to choke the life out of them with each passing second. Kushina looks appalled at what she’s saying, before her expression changes to one of empathy and concern and- gods dammit, Natsuki hates herself for getting caught up in her own misery. How many times has Kushina probably had to go through the exact same thoughts, ever since she arrived at Konoha only to find out that her home had been destroyed? How many people had she lost then, and how lost had she herself felt?

“But… do you see a point to it now, Nacchan?” Kushina asks softly, and Natsuki finds herself smiling despite the tears she can feel welling up behind her eyes.

“Yeah. I think I do.”

"What changed that?"

Natsuki exhales shortly through her nose, trying not to blush as the answer almost immediately comes to mind. "This is going to sound so corny,” She mumbles, before raising her eyes to meet Kushina’s gaze again. "But… it was my family. I found other things to keep me going- other people I could love, who made this life worth living." A short pause, and Natsuki takes a deep breath. “You helped with that."

Kushina beams at that, the expression of warmth on her face making her look absolutely dazzling. _Minato Namikaze had better treat her right, gods damn it._

"Love, huh?" Kushina muses aloud, turning to look at the ceiling with a note of thoughtfulness in her gaze. "That really makes all the difference, doesn't it?"

Natsuki grunts. "Hm, most of the time, I suppose."

"You sound like every other pessimistic adult." Kushina sneers playfully, before she stops, as if struck by a sudden thought. "Which, you kind of are? Wait, how old are you, actually?"

Natsuki actually has to think about that before answering. "Don't remember for sure. I think I made it into my twenties before."

"So you _are_ a pessimistic adult."

"I call it being realistic." She corrects, earning a groan from Kushina that makes her snicker. The moment of peace between them is welcome amidst all the solemnity in the air before, and Natsuki is content to just lie there and bask in the tranquillity of the moment. These days, with tensions between the nations rising once again, it’s hard to feel completely calm with so much happening- and it makes moments like these something to cherish and hold close when she can.

“Thanks again for trusting me with this, Kushina-nee,” Natsuki murmurs, before she turns to Kushina with a serious frown. "Actually, are you really sure you don't want to put a seal on me to make sure I don't spill the beans? I mean, if it’s supposed to-”

Kushina groans, louder this time as she grabs a pillow and tosses it at Natsuki’s head. "For the last time- I don't use juuinjutsu on my allies! If I told you, it means I trust you, okay? Just don’t tell anyone, and we’re good.”

Natsuki laughs a little as she pulls the pillow away from her face, and she hugs it close to her chest as she turns to face Kushina. "I'll keep my lips sealed."

The kunoichi reaches out to ruffle her hair then, once again wearing that warm smile that lights up her entire face. "I will, too. You have my word, Nacchan."

Promises, when Kushina makes them, ring honest and true and she'd do anything short of dying to make it come true. Natsuki's oath sounds hollow in comparison- but Kushina smiles at her like she believes her anyway, because they're _family_ and she trusts her where no one else would, even when it puts her own life at risk.

Natsuki deserves none of it- and yet, she accepts it anyway, because maybe these moments of light and warmth will be enough to overwrite the vision of blood and tears and the loud cries of a single, new-born baby on an cold October night.

 

*******

 

Hoshigaki has stood her up for over a week now.

Well, perhaps that's not the right term to be using. He's been dropping by and collecting his dinner, and he's been nice enough to return the container by morning- but he hasn't knocked even once, nor has he lingered long enough for her to even try to speak to him. Natsuki knows she gave him the option to just take the food without coming inside, and that's really all on her, but… she's a little put out. Perhaps she'd been hoping their last encounter had been a step in the right direction for- well, _something_. Maybe just a couple more words to exchange before he takes his money and leaves for good. Whatever it is, Natsuki doesn't stop the nightly meal preps, though she has made it a point to attach overly-sweet and familiar notes to every one of his meals.

Personally, she's really proud of the 'eat well so you'll grow big and strong' note she'd left last night. She's pretty sure she felt that twinge of annoyance in Hoshigaki's signature before he'd disappeared again.

That's another funny thing she's noticed as of late. Instead of fleeing off into the forests, these days Hoshigaki’s signature has been wandering among the streets and even in certain stores and establishments. She can even pinpoint the hostel he's taken to staying at if she concentrates- but at no point in time has he come searching for her, nor has she encountered him along the way. If anything, Natsuki's pretty sure he's set on avoiding her, even though she can't fathom how or why he's doing it.

Not that it matters to her. Whatever he does is his business, after all.

Natsuki constantly reaffirms that thought throughout the past few days, especially when she's momentarily affected by thoughts of how he's doing or even mild panic about _oh god an S-rank ninja is wandering the streets without supervision._ These worries are constantly smothered and stamped out quickly, especially when they hit her at the most opportune times in the middle of her work. Natsuki had been especially furious when thoughts of Hoshigaki's whereabouts entered her head halfway through her first meeting that week, when one of the councilmen started going on about cutting down on budgets here and there. Stupid ninja’s bothering her even when he's not _around_ , the nerve of him.

"Wow, that tender is really pissing you off, huh?"

Natsuki looks up at that, meeting Tatsumi's look of feigned innocence from in front of her desk with a completely deadpan stare.

"Shut up and focus on your work instead of ogling me, Arikawa," Natsuki snipes back, earning a snort from Tatsumi as he goes back to his table. A knock on the door resounds just as he settles back into his chair, and they both glance at the entrance to see Inoue from the communications unit bringing in a stack of envelopes and folders through the doorway. Natsuki almost groans at the sight, but keeps it together enough to shoot the deliveryman a smile as he approaches her desk.

“Hagiwara-san, good morning," he greets her with a tilt of his head, his dark, overgrown hair nearly covering his eyes- Natsuki's always wondered how he has the patience to keep his hair that way.  
  
“Good morning, Inoue-san. All that for us?"  
  
“I’m afraid so." He chuckles at her strained expression, though his gaze expresses some sympathy for her predicament. He reaches for one of the envelopes at the top if the file as he sets it down on her desk, passing it to her with a gleam in his eye, “On the bright side, this just came in, too.”

Curiosity piqued, Natsuki takes the letter from him- and her eyes widen when she notes the seal of Wind Country keeping the letter shut. Tatsumi, who'd taken the chance to peek at the letter from his table next to her, emits an almost warbled gasp of surprise as well, which prompts Inoue to laugh again as he proceeds to hand Tatsumi his half of the work.  
  
“I hope it’s good news, you two. Good luck.”  
  
“Me too. See you, Inoue-san.” Natsuki adds quickly, waving at the young man as he exits the room to continue with the rest of his work. Tatsumi's all but breathing down her neck at this point, hovering over her shoulder like a vulture as his green eyes remain fixated on the letter in her hands.  
  
“What’s it say?” He asks her almost as soon as she opens it up, earning an exasperated look from Natsuki that doesn't deter him in the least. Once she's done glossing over the letter again, she relays its contents to him- and despite her calm tone, she finds her own pulse picking up slightly in excitement.  
  
“Looks like we can expect the Land of Wind to send a few ambassadors at the end of next month."

"You're serious?" The disbelief in his tone is understandable- Wind Country had been one of the countries most affected by the last war, their already dismal resources and lands decimated even further when they'd come up short against the Land of Fire. The mostly desert country relied heavily on foreign trade to survive, and had been rather quiet after the war had ended- everyone had more or less assumed the country was, well, _fucked_. But this newest update would indicate that their economy must be pulling back together again somehow- and if they would agree to establishing a proper trade agreement with Waves, that would make it the third Elemental Nation to have done so. The last one on the Continent in fact, in addition to Fire and Earth.

And with the Mainland Bridge currently being built? The prospects for Waves are looking really, really good.

"I'll get started on arranging the visa application. I'll leave you to pass the news to Onami-sama," Tatsumi suggests, to which Natsuki acquiesces with a quick nod. Tatsumi might seem calm, but Natsuki recognises that gleam in his bright eyes as one of determination and excitement- clearly, the possibilities this deal opens up is not lost on him, either.

He attends to his new task with lightning speed, and as Natsuki steps out of the office, she knows that the application will be circulating even before she finishes telling her mother the news. There's so much to prepare for now- Wind will want to know they're not making a poor investment by working with them, especially with their unstable economy at present, so they'll undoubtedly be approaching this with a sceptical eye. However, given all the work and stress it had taken to convince the Land of Earth to firmly establish a solid alliance with them, Natsuki can't see this being that much more difficult. They're just going to have to put together a comprehensive report with all the necessary data and the rights terms that would convince them to plant a few roots in Waves.

It'll take some work, but she's confident they can handle it. With this new task on hand, Natsuki firmly establishes that she's got much more important matters to attend to- and a missing-nin is not going to be one of them.

* * *

There’s a rather sizeable flower shop on the outskirts of the business district, which has been run by the Mibuchi family since the time of the first Onami’s reign. Junpei Mibuchi is the eldest son of the family, all of fifteen years old with one of the warmest smiles and the best goddamn green thumb this side of the island. When she'd used to teach him in middle school, he'd taken the wilted bonsai from the school office that everyone else had given up on, and somehow revived it within a month. Ever since then, Natsuki's been convinced he's working some sort of magic she can't comprehend- or that the family's got a really kickass fertiliser they won't share with anyone else.

Overall, the Mibuchi family is well liked and respected across town, and no other florist can come close to the selection of flowers that they offer- which is why Natsuki's at their shop at eight in the morning on a weekend, a smile forming on her lips when she sees Junpei and his younger sister arranging the front display.

“Good morning, Junpei-san. Kasumi-chan," she greets as she stops by, both kids turning to look at her with expressions of pleasant surprise crossing their faces.

“Natsuki-sensei, you're up early," Junpei comments, a friendly smile on his face. His ten-year-old sister bounces on her feet next to him, shooting Natsuki a cheerful wave that she gladly returns.

“Just going for a walk. I thought I'd pick up some flowers along the way.”

“Ah, of course. Please, take your pick," he says, gesturing to the array they've already sorted out. Natsuki purses her lips slightly as she looks over the blooms that have been laid out- gerberas, roses, hibiscuses… before she turns towards Kasumi, a trickle of amusement leaking into her smile as she sees the girl looking at her eagerly. Someone has an opinion on what she wanted her to get, it would seem.

"What flowers do you think I should pick?" She asks the little girl, who's all too quick to perk up at the offer as she gestures for her to follow her inside. Natsuki laughs slightly as she follows suit, exchanging an amused glance with Junpei while Kasumi leads then towards whatever flower she's so fixated upon. When the deep, violet hue of aster blossoms come into view, Natsuki can't help the tinge of sadness that colours her tone as she looks at Kasumi and says, "Perfect. Thank you, Kasumi-chan."

The ten year-old merely beams at her in response, and wastes no time in asking her how big a bunch she wants. Junpei takes the opportunity to ask if it's alright to let her handle the register and purchase to let her get a feel for how to work everything out, and Natsuki acquiesces with ease. These flowers aren't for her, anyway- and she's got time to kill.

While she's paying at the counter, Natsuki absently notes the chakra signature on the floor above making its way down the stairs. When Atsushi Mibuchi appears in the doorway, he catches Natsuki's eye- and immediately tenses as a frown settles in the curve of his mouth. That's… not a reaction she's seen from the Mibuchi family head before. She has a sinking feeling she knows why.

“Mibuchi-san, good morning.” Natsuki attempts civility best as she can, inclining her head in acknowledgement. Atsushi doesn't so much as budge in response, and Natsuki's vaguely aware of Junpei stepping between him and Kasumi as the little girl remains oblivious to the tense exchange, still trying to figure out how to work the register. When Atsushi does move again, he merely walks by her with only a wary side-eye as a parting glance, and Natsuki feels her polite smile hardening into place like brittle plaster.

That… hurt, a bit more than she'd like to admit. Especially after the week she's had.

“Please don't mind my father, Natsuki-sama. He-”

“There's no need to apologise for him, Junpei-san. He's allowed to feel the way he does,” Natsuki quickly intercedes, waving her hand as though to reassure him. She understands where the man is coming from, she really does- his wife had been a merchant who'd passed away at the very start of the third war, after being caught in a cross-fire between Kusagakure and Konohagakure along a Fire Country route. Natsuki attended that funeral, and she remembers how miserable the man had looked, left with two young children to raise on his own. It makes sense that he'd be wary of her, now that she's been revealed as being just the same as the people who had killed his wife.

It's fine. She gets it, really, she does.

“Still, it's rude to treat customers like that…” Junpei hesitates, clearly still upset at how she'd been treated, yet uncertain on how to voice his thoughts when his sister is around. Said girl had finally figured out how to issue a receipt to her, and is still blissfully oblivious to the tension- which Natsuki latches onto as a lifeline out of this awkward situation.

“Hey, Kasumi-chan. Is there anything new you've been trying to grow, lately?”

The faint hazel of her eyes light up as Kasumi nods enthusiastically, her pigtails bouncing as she does so. “I helped plant some seeds we got from Water Country two weeks ago! They're growing really nicely in the greenhouse."

"Oh? Are they flowering plants, or?" Natsuki turns her gaze on Junpei, directing the question at him. The boy seems to relax a little at the change of topic, and he responds without much pause.

"It's a flowering shrub. The petals are supposed to be blue, and they're surprisingly easy to grow. Just have to avoid over-watering them, really.”

“Sounds low-effort. Maybe I'll get a pot for my place- it's looking a little bare these days.”

“I'll let you know as soon as the first batch is up for sale.” Junpei then hands her the small bouquet of asters she's purchased with a smile, and Natsuki passes Kasumi the payment in turn. “Here you go, Natsuki-sensei. Enjoy your morning!”

“You too! Thanks again for the help with the flowers, Kasumi-chan." Natsuki winks as she waves the two kids goodbye, leaving the store with a fixed destination in mind. She's still trying to shake off the remnants of hurt from that interaction with Atsushi, but she does it best as she can while she trudges over long stretches of road, past houses and shop lots until she's beyond the main township of Waves.

She walks over grass and rocky flatlands and the gnarled roots of coconut trees until her feet touch upon sandy ground, and then she walks some more, emerging from the light canopy of the surrounding greenery and into the sunlight cast over the sandy bay of Waves' eastern shoreline. It's the same beach she's been going to for years along with her parents, a quiet and solitary strip of white sand that's perfect for picnics and long walks and swimming and just about every beach trip she's ever made. There have been a lot of those over the years, and though Natsuki has explored just about the entirety of Waves' surrounding coastlines, discovering countless hidden coves and small caves- this stretch of beach is her favourite.

The waves lap against the shore, the push and pull of the tides resounding in her ears like an insistent call. Natsuki pushes off her slippers as she steps closer to the edge of the water, a soft sigh leaving her lips as she feels the fine grit of warm sand beneath her bare feet. There's something inexplicably comforting about the sensation, and as her toes sink into the wet sand just as the waves come up to cover her feet, Natsuki closes her eyes and just listens to the soft, shushing lullaby of the sea, allowing it to override all the disquieting thoughts running through her head. The bouquet of asters remain in her hands, held loosely behind her back as Natsuki allows herself this brief moment of respite.

She almost wishes she could just throw herself into the ocean, maybe swim out to sea as far as she can and lie amongst the waves, allowing them to take her wherever the wind calls. If only it could ever be so simple.

Natsuki breathes out slowly, eyes opening once more as she  takes a step back, just enough so that the waves no longer brush against her feet. She lifts her left hand to her mouth, her thumb sitting between her teeth before she clamps down on the skin hard enough to draw blood, and as soon as the first drop of vermillion blooms atop her skin, she kneels and swipes her hand across the sand. The familiar sealing  circle of a summoning jutsu spreads out in unfurling coils of black ink, and the surge of energy that arrives in response to the call is just about immediate.

The tiger she's called materialises in a puff of chakra vapour, and Natsuki gets back onto her feet as she shifts the bouquet from hand to hand, still a little nervous as to how to handle this situation. The black panels of his body armour glisten in the light as Kazuki stands at attention, poised yet alert, and Natsuki wears a small smile as she bows towards him, polite and apologetic all at once.

“Hello, Kazuki-san.”

The tiger sniffs almost disdainfully. “If you’re here to apologise, I'm not-” Kazuki stops himself as his gaze lands upon the flowers in her arms, and he looks around to take in where exactly they are. When his light, almost yellow eyes meet hers, his gaze is less harsh than it was before. “Are those for him?”

Natsuki nods as she gestures towards the ocean, the tide already receding as they speak. “Will you walk with me, please?"

Kazuki gazes at her for a long moment, as though trying to read her, before he finally turns around and starts walking out towards the ocean. He only pauses for a moment to look over his shoulder, paws submerged in water and a slight shrug rolling through his shoulders- a silent gesture for her to hurry up- and Natsuki casts him a grateful smile as she follows suit. The seawater nearly brushes against her knees when she walks to his side, and she starts taking the bouquet apart, pulling out each aster blossom one by one and casting them into the waves.

“I’m sorry for how I treated you that day, Kazuki-san,” Natsuki murmurs as they walk along the length of the beach, wading through the waters with slow steps and leaving a trail of flowers in their wake. “I could have been kinder with my words.”  
  
“But you don’t regret sending me away.” The tiger looks ahead stoically as he speaks, not even giving her so much as a sideways glance.  
  
“I don’t.” Natsuki idly spins one on the flowers, the stem clenched loosely between her thumb and index finger before she releases it, and she watches for a moment as the aster is carried along by the tide. "He had no intention to harm me. I was right about that much."

“You’ve grown fond of him.” Kazuki’s tone is a touch more accusatory this time, and Natsuki shoots him a warning look.  
  
“I think it’s more like pity.”  
  
“Empathy is a mere half-step away from care.”  
  
“Maybe you’re right.” He _is_ right. Natsuki just doesn’t want to make it feel real by admitting it- and surprisingly, Kazuki doesn’t push. “I still have no idea how we’re supposed to be predestined or whatever, but… I think he’s okay.”

“If that is how you feel,” Kazuki responds coolly, and Natsuki can't help the slight snort that escapes her as a thought occurs to her just then.

"A shinobi of the Bloody Mist. Jii-chan would have had a conniption if he was around to see this." She chuckles without really feeling it, and notes the slight tremble of grief in Kazuki's chakra as she speaks.

"He would."

“You’re taking this pretty well now, though.”  
  
“No one can change your mind once you’re set on something, shōko. You’re a lot like Hiro that way.” This time, the sorrowful tremour in his chakra is subdued. Kazuki finally turns towards her then, his pale eyes meeting hers in a brief moment of understanding. He then says, a little more steadily this time, “Kaoru told us about the Aratani duo. Tell me about the boy- I've heard he's taken to you quite fondly.”

Well, it looks like her mom's already beat her to that chase. Natsuki pauses to think for a moment, a soft smile lingering on her face as she thinks about the small, slightly clingy four year-old who's growing more and more settled into this new environment with each passing day. He's proving to be a lot more adventurous than she had expected- beneath that shy exterior lies the ever-curious heart of an explorer, and he's really shown it over the past few days.

"He's a lot more restless than I expected, actually. He keeps trying to get me to open doors to rooms he's never seen before, and rummages through some of the things we have lying around- did you know he found my old guitar in the storage room? The one I got from that performing troupe, do you remember?"

"The enka shinobi?"

"That's the one. He insisted on hearing me play it, so I had to dig through the rest of the pile just to find my replacement strings…"

The conversation goes on in very much the same fashion, Natsuki retelling whatever comes to mind as she continues scattering flowers into the ocean, and Kazuki only piping up now and then with a question or just a grunt to acknowledge he's still listening. By the time she goes through the entire bouquet, whatever tension had stemmed from the start of their reunion had ebbed away into nothingness. There's only the numbed throb of old scars that linger in the empty space as they pause along their short trek, sparing a moment of silence to offer their respects to those who have passed on.

Hiroki had wanted his ashes to be scattered out at sea, just as his ancestors' had. This offering is for them just as much as him.

“May your soul rest where the tides bid you welcome.” The traditional farewell prayer of the Uzumaki falls from her lips with ease, and Natsuki casts the last of the asters into the sea, looking out at the dispersed trail of florets floating atop the waves. The light of the morning sun glimmers atop the water’s surface like a thousand gemstones, a spectrum of gold and red against the clear blue waters, and she fights against the grief welling up in her chest as she lowers her eyes.

 _See you later, Jii-chan_.

Kazuki remains silent at her side as they make their way back onto dry land, but he seems to walk just a bit closer to her than he did before. Natsuki settles on the beach with crossed legs, just looking out at the space where the ocean meets the sky, and briefly wonders when her turn would arrive again- when her own soul would be sent back into the never-ending cycle of death and rebirth; cast upon the whims of the Shinigami and the wheel of Samsara.

If she has to be born again- she can only pray the gods are merciful enough to put her memories to rest the next time around. She isn't sure she could bear another lifetime like this.

"Don't." Kazuki suddenly bumps his nose against her shoulder, the tiger towering over her even as he sits on his haunches. "I see that look in your eye. You will live longer yet."

"I don't plan on dying again just yet, Kazuki-san. Don't worry." Natsuki doesn't try to smile- she knows the tiger would see through it as easily as gazing past crystal. Her grandfather always had- and there's no reason his most trustworthy companion wouldn't. Kazuki doesn't respond to that for a long time, even though Natsuki can feel his gaze burning into the side of her face, but he doesn't offer any more words. He just sits next to her in silence, watching the sun crawl higher and higher into the sky and erasing whatever remains of the canvas of night, and then he sits with her a little longer.

He knows having a heartbeat besides her own keeps her a little steadier in these moments. He's never had to ask to know- just like Hiroki never had to ask.

"I'm going to my parents' place for lunch," she says once she's settled down a little more firmly.

"Babysitting the Aratani cub?"

"Babysitting the Aratani cub." Natsuki nods sagely, earning a huff of laughter from Kazuki. A slight smile finally cracks through at that, and she rises to her feet, dusting off the back of her shorts as she does so. "I should get going. Don't want to be late."

Kazuki stands as well, and this time he steps close to bump his nose against her yet again. The affectionate gesture catches her off-guard, somewhat- she thought he was still a little mad at her- and when the tiger meets her gaze, his eyes lack all of the severity that they had before.

"I will always answer when you call for me, shōko. Nothing will change that." His tail flicks a little, disgruntlement entering his voice as he adds, "If that Mist-scum tries to hurt you…"

"You'll be first on the caller list," Natsuki finishes for him with a grin forming on her lips, and she reaches out to run her hands through his fur. Scratching the back of his ears, Natsuki feels a surge of affection and plants a kiss against the old tiger's head, feeling him chuff in response. "See you, Kazuki-san. Thank you again, for everything."

Another soft chuff. "Call on the twins when you're able. They've been whining all week."

Natsuki laughs as she leans back, though she winces slightly at the thought of the undoubtedly loud reunion she's going to have with Meiko and Keiko. "Will do."

With that, Kazuki gives her one last nod and lowers his head, before disappearing in the same puff of smoke that he arrived in. His absence stirs something almost regretful inside her, a longing for another soul besides hers, but Natsuki files that melancholy away for another day. She has other things that need her attention. Too much to do besides wallow in her own fears and worries.

And so, Natsuki picks up her things, slides her shoes back on, and walks back towards town, ignoring the way the itch on her hand eases as she finally heads back in the direction her compass guides her.

* * *

The sound of plucking strings and the acoustic chords of a guitar drifts through the house, a familiar motif accompanied by lyrics that Ayano recognises as one of Natsuki's favourite childhood lullabies. It took a lot more effort than she'd expected to maintain her composure the moment she'd heard her daughter singing the first line- in fact, she'd seen Kaoru nearly drop the dish she was carrying before she'd caught it again out of reflex. The look they'd exchanged right after was one of surprise mingled with joy and a mild sadness- it had been far too long since either of them have heard their daughter sing.

Juugo had been the one to uncover Natsuki's guitar- a gift from a band of nomadic enka shinobi- and had pressured her enough to get her to repair and tune the old thing again. Hiroki had befriended the group of travelling ninja years ago, after watching them perform in the streets of Waves just before the annual harvest festival. Ayano remembers that particular year fondly- somehow, Natsuki had gotten caught up in her grandfather's interactions with the travelling performers, and they had picked up on her innate talent for playing the traditional Frost Country instrument. One thing led to another, and somehow her daughter had ended up playing on the main festival stage with the rest of the performers that year. By the end of the night, Hiroki had brought home a rather tired and sweaty eleven-year-old, who all the while wore a huge, gap-toothed grin on her face as she lauded the present her new friends had let her keep.

Over the years, Ayano had grown used to hearing her daughter playing the instrument in her spare time, often accompanied by her steady, low voice as she sang melodies both familiar and unfamiliar to her ears. Most of the time, she sings in what sounds like Modern Lightning- and Ayano knows for a fact that the only exposure Natsuki has had to that language is a children’s storybook she’d bought years ago, from a merchant stall. She's never truly stopped to ask just how Natsuki knew of these songs that she's never heard before, or how she'd learned some languages faster than others- Hiroki had explained before what the Great Tiger Sage had told him about her daughter's circumstances, and she had always chalked these oddities up to the sleeping memories of her past life.

Ayano doesn’t believe in the old gods the way Hiroki and Kaoru do, but she does acknowledge the existence of forces beyond any mortal control- and after seeing her daughter grow, that explanation only made more and more sense. The way Natsuki had always seemed so mature for her age, the intelligence she’d displayed since her youth- all that and more amounted to something beyond mere prodigal intellect. So, Ayano chose to accept these little quirks in her daughter’s habits instead of questioning their origin. In fact, she'd enjoyed listening to Natsuki’s strange music, some sweet and others wistful, and had even picked up some of the tunes herself.

Then Hiroki had left, and she hasn't heard Natsuki sing ever since. Not until today.

"Your daughter has a lovely voice," Mitsuha comments from where she sits at the dining table, her lips upturned into a pleasant smile as she takes another sip of tea from her cup. Ayano hums in agreement, a part of her still not quite believing the fact that she's hearing her daughter play again and dreading- illogically- that perhaps speaking too loudly or moving too suddenly might break this moment.

“It’s been a while since I'd heard her play. I thought she’d thrown the guitar away.”

Kaoru snorts at that, returning to her seat with a bowl of rice as she helps herself to lunch. There's a twinkle in her eye as she shoots Ayano a pointed look. “As if she would do that. She’s always had a bit of a hoarding problem.”  
  
“You know what I mean.” Ayano rolls her eyes at her wife, who only winks in response. The exchange is underlined by the same hesitance that she feels, resonating in Kaoru's tone as well despite the seemingly light-hearted banter. She isn't sure if Mitsuha senses it as well, an oblivious outsider to the griefs and worries that have occurred throughout their family's life, but the old woman nonetheless chimes in with a new topic.  
  
“Juugo has taken to her rather fondly. He’s been trying to make his drawings smaller so he doesn’t go through the paper she’d given him too quickly.” The image makes them all smile- the shy, yet bright-eyed child had been a joy to have around, and after the past week they've all grown a little attached to him.  
  
“I’ll be sure to tell Natsuki to bring some more the next time she comes around.”  
  
“Speaking of which, Mitsuha-san,” Kaoru pipes up, suddenly sounding a little more serious than before. Lowering her bowl, she says, “We’re just about ready for the sealing ceremony. The results of your tests indicate that Juugo-kun seems to have an abnormally high metabolic rate- though it isn't quite close to your level. Natsuki and I both agree that perhaps going with a minimised seal seems to be the best course of action- but we’ll leave room for strengthening the seal, should the need arise.”  
  
“I leave this in your capable hands, Kaoru-san. I trust that-”

Mitsuha cuts herself off abruptly, her eyes suddenly growing wide as her hands freeze on the table top. Her reaction has them all on guard as well, all of them tensing in anticipation, and Ayano's the first to breach the silence.

“What’s the matter?”

“Juugo," Mitsuha whispers. That's when Ayano realises it.

It's grown completely quiet. The music has stopped.

Then, a scream- low, guttural, and filled with outrage- fills the air. Kaoru is gone before Ayano can do so much as blink, and the Onami follows suit just as Mitsuha gets to her feet as well. The two of them rush out of the kitchen and into the living room to catch up to Kaoru- and Ayano freezes at the sight before her.

Natsuki is kneeling on the ground, her guitar cast aside next to her and- and a giant axe protruding from Juugo's arm, stuck in the wall right next to her head. The boy stands right in front of her daughter, his entire right arm distorted by grey skin and transformed into something distinctly inhuman, with scale-like armour encasing his entire forearm before giving way to the deadly protrusion that had left a deep cut on Natsuki’s cheek. Half of his face is covered by the same darkened mottles, and is distorted by the almost feral scowl on his face- a reaction undoubtedly instigated by the numerous, glowing chains that have wrapped around his body, head and limbs, completely restricting his movements.

The sight leaves her speechless. This… this is the Aratani clan’s kekkei genkai?

“Natsu?” The word leaves Kaoru’s lips in a hesitant whisper, but it draws attention from both the people in the room. Natsuki looks at her mom only for a moment before her eyes flicker back towards Juugo, whose gaze has also been drawn by the sound of Kaoru’s voice. Ayano catches a glimpse of mismatched eyes- the half of his face that’s covered in grey has transformed his right eye, blackening his sclera and turning his pupil an almost luminescent gold. He pulls against his restraints at the sight of them, but the chains around him noticeably tighten, and the glare he focuses on Natsuki makes Ayano’s blood run cold. There’s no trace of sanity or hesitation in those eyes- only mindless bloodlust, directed wholly at her daughter.

“I’m okay, Kaa-san, Okaa-chan.” Natsuki’s voice is steady as she speaks, even as Juugo visibly pulls against the restraints and tries to draw his axe hand over her head. Ayano notes the steady trickle of blood trailing down her daughter’s cheek with muted distress, but Natsuki doesn’t seem pay it any attention. “The chains are draining his chakra. He’ll be out in a second.”

“I’ll kill you!” The sudden interjection from Juugo makes Ayano jump- that voice does not sound like it belongs to a child. It's too deep, too… angry. “Let me go!”

"Please calm down, Juugo-kun." The chains seem to glow a bit brighter- no doubt as Natsuki enhances whatever effect the jutsu is supposed to have. The boy screams, the sound dreadful and piercing, and Ayano winces, unable to stop herself from feeling sympathy for the child even as she knows what's at stake.

“What happened to him?" she asks, and Natsuki shakes her head.  
  
“I don't know. He just started… convulsing, and then- he transformed.”

"It's our kekkei genkai." Mitsuha interjects, her tone grave and weary. "Sudden surges like these… aren't uncommon. But this- I did not foresee this happening again so soon."

"Will it subside?" Ayano asks, and much to her relief, Mitsuha nods.

"It's already receding," she affirms- Ayano chalks the knowledge up to her sensory skills. She doesn't quite understand how it works, but she watches as the transformation slowly recedes from Juugo's skin, the colour of his eye returning back to its normal orange-on-white and the grey hue retreating from his skin until it is once again his usual tan. The axe sinks back into his skin, along with the scaly ridges that had encased his entire arm, and Ayano finds herself exhaling a sigh of relief when that dangerous weapon is no longer pressing so close to her daughter's face.

 The moment Juugo sags against the chains, Natsuki dispels the jutsu immediately, the chakra links falling from her back and disappearing into nothingness as she moves forward to catch the boy in her arms. Ayano almost cries out when she does so, still afraid that the boy is still a threat, but Kaoru settles a hand on her arm and shoots her an assuring look. So, they're in the clear… for now.

"Hey, kiddo. I'm sorry I had to do that." Natsuki starts murmuring to the child that she's cradling in her arms, one hand brushing back his hair from his face as he blinks up at her wearily. Despite the tense situation, Natsuki seems deceptively at ease as she wears a small smile- Ayano has to wonder when her girl became so good at pretending. "You okay? Need some water?"

Instead of responding, Juugo merely looks up at her with wide eyes, and the fear and panic in them is palpable. Ayano watches as the boy starts hyperventilating, his chest rising and falling quickly as the situation finally settles in, and he starts curling in on himself, his hands clutching Natsuki's shirt so tightly his knuckles start turning white. Mitsuha hurries over to her grandson's side, and Ayano can only stand aside and watch as Natsuki starts murmuring even more reassurances to the panicking child, her voice soft and calm all the while as she urges him to _look at me, sweetheart, it's okay, you didn't hurt anyone, it's over, it's okay._

Ayano feels both dread and sorrow pooling in her stomach. Dread for the danger her daughter had been in this whole time, spending time with a ticking time bomb- and sorrow, for the poor child who doesn't deserve a curse like this.

"Kaa-san," Natsuki suddenly says, her voice deceptively calm. "Is the room ready for the sealing ritual?"

Kaoru noticeably starts at the question. "Now?" She asks, and Natsuki shakes her head.

"I think we can give it until tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Are you sure you're ready?"

Natsuki looks down at the sobbing child in her arms, his arms and neck still red from where the sealing chains had wrapped around him, and Ayano can almost see the resolve solidifying on her face. Natsuki has never been able to turn away from someone she can help- in many ways, it is both her greatest strength and her weakness; the drive that allows her to make both her wisest choices and the most careless. And in this case-

 "I am."

-Ayano has no idea which of the two it is.

* * *

He never knew his soulmate could sing.

Maybe he should have guessed it, what with the control of her range that she’s exhibited; the ability to shift her tone from low and threatening to light and airy within the same sentence. Still, it’s something else to hear her actually carry a tune, especially when she’s pairing it with that acoustic instrument she’s strumming in her hands. He has no doubt she knows he’s watching from the street below as she remains perched on the railing, singing an unknown song to one of her neighbour’s cats lounging on the balcony next to hers, but she makes no such indication. The sight she makes is almost hilarious, especially as the feline creature merely looks at her blankly in turn, but Kisame has to admit- Hagiwara sings well. Her voice is low and husky, and her high notes are a little shaky, but otherwise it’s pleasant to listen to.

It also eases his mind, somewhat, to see her doing well enough to prove that she’s alright- even after that sting he’d felt on his wrist earlier that day.

Then, she turns her head slightly- and he gets a proper look at her side profile. The long, fresh scar over her right cheekbone draws his eye instantly, an unforeseen aberration over the features he’s come to recognise, and for some reason it sets his teeth on edge. Something- _someone_ did that to her. He doesn’t know what, or who, but when he does-

...When he does, what?

“You’re early today," Hagiwara suddenly calls out to him- from all the way up on the fourth floor, her voice might not have reached anyone else’s ears, but he’s never been quite like everyone else. She sounds almost disbelieving as she says that, and her tone makes him grin.

"Did I keep you waiting?” He replies, and the way her surprised expression quickly drops away into one of exasperation only stokes his amusement further. Even the sight of her face in the darkness of night might have been indistinguishable to any regular person, but his senses aren't inhibited by such limitations.

“Get yourself up here, kouhai," she sighs, still strumming the whole while. It's a smart way to mask her voice, he absently notes- and after another quick check to make sure his genjutsu is stable, he acquiesces to her request, leaping upwards with a single chakra-powered kick and vaulting right over the railing of her balcony. _That_ makes her neighbour's cat jump, and he can't stop the grin that crosses his face when the feline dashes away in fear. The dry look that Hagiwara shoots him only further fuels his mirth.

"You've made yourself pretty scarce these past few days," she comments, lowering her guitar as she tosses the pick back into its hollow centre. Hoisting herself onto her feet, Hagiwara walks around him and reaches for the door, the lack of space on the balcony forcing her to stand much closer to him than he's comfortable with. Samehada needs to stop purring and quit trying to reach for her chakra, dammit. "Thought you were going to keep it that way for a while yet."

"I've got to collect my payment."

"I'm afraid I don't have enough yet. Give me another week- I'm trying to space out my withdrawals so it doesn't seem too suspicious," Hagiwara replies as she walks inside, finally putting some space between them as she places a hand against the wall- likely deactivating the seals that would 'set him on fire', as she so kindly put it. "You want to come inside? I can go get the money for you- and your food, while I'm at it."

As if she's really giving him a choice- what with the way she just leaves the door wide open for him to walk in. Once again, he’s struck by the thought that this woman is far too careless with her trust dawns upon him, but he walks into her apartment anyway, closing the door behind him and making sure the blinds are completely shut before he drops the genjutsu. Hagiwara rummages through what he assumes is her bedroom for a moment before she emerges with a bag in hand and her guitar conspicuously absent, and when she looks up at him, her expression shifts into one of such obvious shock that he very nearly laughs.

"You know you can drop the disguise, right?" She raises an eyebrow, having regained her composure- he has to say, she pulls herself together pretty quickly.

"What, don't like my new face?" He’s been using Kushimaru’s appearance as reference for his transformation, though he’s omitted the sharp teeth and is wearing a straight black hairstyle instead of his frizzy, dirty blonde. The only time he’d ever seen the bastard Hozuki's face before he’d kicked the bucket had left quite the impression- his features weren’t particularly outstanding, but he certainly hadn’t looked too bad. In fact, the former wielder of the Nuibari could have qualified as handsome with his violet eyes and slightly crooked grin- if one could have looked past his less than charming personality- and yet, Hagiwara looks distinctly unimpressed.

"I think I liked the original one better." Kisame actually blinks at that, briefly stupefied- but Hagiwara doesn’t seem to notice. "Something about this look just doesn’t seem right."

It takes a moment for him to regain his composure- she said she _likes_ his face? - but when he does, Kisame finds his gaze being drawn back to the new scar that Hagiwara’s wearing. "I could say the same to you." He gestures to the left side of his face- a clear mirror of the cut on her right cheek. "That's new. A souvenir from your visit to your parents’ place?"

"You knew about that?" Hagiwara mutters the question almost to herself, her hand coming up to touch the scar in a seemingly self-conscious gesture. Her expression shifts back to one of her usual confidence, however, and she simply waves it off. "It was just an accident. Nothing you need to worry about."

Kisame tries not to scowl at the obvious attempt at nonchalance. "You didn’t do that to yourself, Hagiwara-san.” People might graze their cheek by accident against a poorly placed branch or something- but this cut looks too deep to have been a careless coincidence.

"Is that why you came in today? Just because of one little scratch?"

"That was no 'little' scratch."

"It doesn't matter. It won't happen again."

“Was it your parents?”

Hagiwara actually does a double take at that, horror flickering over her features. “What? No, of course not!”

Some of the tension in his shoulders eases a little. “The kid and his grandmother, then?”

Her dark eyes narrow at him, suddenly assessing. “Have you been collecting information on me?”

Kisame smirks at that- well, he hasn’t been wandering around the streets wearing a different face for no reason. “You could say that,” he replies, deliberately vague. The way Hagiwara’s lips twitch into a momentary scowl is almost amusing.  
  
“What game are you playing here, kouhai?” She asks, suddenly completely serious. Kisame crosses his arms with a careless shrug, still wearing a smug smile on his face.  
  
“Just confirming how serious you were about your little speech the other day.” He sees the way Hagiwara tenses at that, her body language betraying her obvious surprise even as her expression remains stoic. With a moment’s hesitation, he adds slowly, “I must confess, you’ve surprised me. Lots of people seem to like you around here.”

That was a bit of an understatement- most conversations he’d managed to start or overhear over the week had people saying generally positive things about her. Even the people who dissented on her position usually had one or two positive things to say about what she’s done- and honestly, she’s done quite a bit in the two years she’s had. Hell, he’d even seen a guy get beaten up at a bar because he’d been going off just a bit too long and too loudly as he insulted Hagiwara’s dignity and lineage, and that had been fun to watch. He’s pretty sure the bartender had slipped the teenager who'd thrown the first punch a free drink after it was all over.

At his words, however, Hagiwara looks away with an expression of- is that embarrassment?  “It’s thanks to my mother. She just about saved this whole country back when she’d only just gotten her position. I get to reap the benefits of that reputation.” Before he can point out that hardly anyone brings up her mother when they’re talking about her, Hagiwara pulls out a wad of bills from her bag, all but shoving it towards him as she quickly adds, “Anyway, there’s about 50 thousand ryo there. Are you staying for dinner?”

Her ears are colouring red- they’re almost as bright as her hair. Kisame finds it a little hard to look away from them as he takes the money from her, meeting her gaze with a carefully neutral expression. "I'll take it on the way out." It doesn't feel right to take more of her hospitality than he already does.

"Oh. Alright, if you say so." Hagiwara shrugs- but if it isn't his imagination, there's something akin to disappointment in her tone. He doesn't question it, however, as she retreats into her kitchen to grab whatever she's packed for him, his gaze once again wandering over the walls and the layout of her living room. Momentarily, he contemplates dropping the transformation like Hagiwara had suggested- but then he thinks better of it; it’s better for him to keep it on than to transform back later on again. As his eyes take in his surroundings, Kisame absently notes, not for the first time, just how empty this place is as he places the wad of cash securely inside his pocket. Sure, the furniture's nice, but there's no personal touch to the decor, no newspapers or books lying around- just the bare minimum to define this living space as, well, _lived in._

Kisame starts walking around a bit, his footsteps utterly silent as he passes the kitchen entrance- Hagiwara doesn't so much as look up at him as he does, clearly unbothered by his wandering, so he takes that as permission to continue. He pauses in the doorway leading to the entrance, located just opposite the kitchen entryway- instead of being bare like the rest of the apartment, there are actually pictures arranged atop the dresser here, sitting innocuously against the wall. He finds himself looking at each one curiously- there's a picture of Hagiwara as a child, carried atop the shoulders of an elderly man he doesn't recognise, another of her with her parents in her teenage years and one of a whole class of students with her sitting at the front, clad in apparel that’s distinctly not the same uniform as the rest of the kids in the photo.

The last one sparks a memory- he'd heard about Hagiwara spending a few years as an educator from that conversation he'd had with one of the fishermen at the docks- and when he peers closer, he notes with mild surprise just how young Hagiwara looks here. Her hair appears to be longer than she wears it today, tamed and tied behind her head, and the year on the picture indicates that the image was captured five years ago. Hagiwara had been a teacher when she was… fourteen?

The thought is both strange and amusing. While he'd been off killing both enemies and comrades under orders from his superiors, she'd been teaching kids not all that younger than herself.

"Everything alright there?"

Hagiwara's voice breaks him out of his musings, and he turns to see her watching him with a look of mild concern on her face. He has to wonder if that worry is because she doesn't like that he's probing too close into her personal life, or if she's actually directing it at him.

"You used to keep your hair long," he comments instead, deciding to direct the conversation into lighter territory. For some reason, though, his words make Hagiwara freeze up. It's only for a second, and he doesn't get to read the look on her face, but it's enough to make him wonder what that had been about.

"Yeah, it got too difficult to handle after a while," she says easily, lifting the container in her hands for him to take. It's a three-tier carrier today- he has to wonder why she's being so generous with her food, especially when he's already imposing by charging her so much for a single mission, but he doesn't implore as he accepts it anyway. He'll just take what he can get, as she'd suggested the last time he was here.

Hagiwara then starts walking him back over to the doorway, and he's prepared to leave until the next time he has to come back- but then she pauses, as though a sudden thought occurred to her just then. Withdrawing her hand from the door handle, she turns to face him again, a slight furrow settling in her brow.

"I've got an appointment tomorrow night," she says, catching him a little off-guard. “You're going to have to find your own dinner then, kouhai."

"I'm sure I'll survive," he replies dryly, which makes her lips twitch upwards in response.

"It’s actually got to do with that seal I’m working on," she confesses, and Kisame’s admittedly surprised that she’d tell him this. The reason for that is made clear when she adds in lighter tone, "So, try not to get hurt or anything tomorrow, will you? You make my hand twitch even the slightest bit and I'll bite myself just to spite you.”  

He exhales shortly, unable to keep his grin from widening. “And you once said you weren't capable of holding a grudge.”

“I never said I wasn't _capable_.” Hagiwara’s lips curve into an almost playful smile, but there’s a gravity in her gaze that doesn’t quite leave. “This really is important, though. So don't do anything that might put you at risk of injury- please?”

Well, if she’s asking nicely... “I can try for one day.”

The smile on her face softens at his response, and Kisame tries to ignore how even that little change makes her new scar stand out all the more prominently. He still doesn't know how she'd gotten that, but he'll find out somehow.

“Thanks.” Hagiwara's eyes flicker away as she resumes opening the door, her eyes distant and almost melancholy despite the lingering cheer in her voice. “It’s been nice- being to talk to you like this for a while. I’ve enjoyed it.”

Something about her tone gives him pause. Kisame tries to read her expression, and she appears completely at ease- but it’s not quite right. Like there’s something he’s missing.

“You’re talking like you’re saying goodbye," he says slowly. Hagiwara doesn't deny it- instead she just shoots him a grin that doesn't quite reach her eyes, which still look like they're somewhere far beyond his reach.  
  
“There’s always that one in ten chance a seal might go wrong." Those… aren't good odds. Something about his expression must have given away his disbelief, because Hagiwara quickly adds, “It's not really that likely. I haven’t died yet, kouhai.”  
  
“But you’re saying this because you _might_.” He points out, once again receiving no denial.  
  
“I don’t take chances with luck. I figure the universe has a way with its games," she jokes lightly, once again shooting him that half-hearted smile. He's starting to think he doesn't quite like that look.

"What exactly is this project?" He asks, and when Hagiwara shakes her head, he isn’t surprised. He had a feeling this was supposed to be something completely secret from the very start- the fact that she'd even brought it up with him probably hadn't been part of the game plan to begin with. Whatever had prompted this change of heart though, he has no idea.

"It's too dangerous for anyone else to know just yet. I'm sorry." She sounds like she actually means it, and this time Kisame looks at her- _really_ looks at her.

Hagiwara’s dressed in a long sleeved top with the sleeves pulled back along her forearms, revealing the compass on her left wrist and the faded bite scars from when she'd used that strange jutsu of hers. The recently humid weather isn't doing much for her hair- the frizziness is especially apparent after the short rainfall that afternoon, making her curls wilder than they already are. Her tawny skin looks almost pallid, especially when he looks at the ever-present shadows under her eyes- and as she stands there, her shoulders slumped ever so slightly, she looks… aged.

Whatever this project is, it's eating away at her- quite literally, at that. Kisame doesn't know what that means for her, or if it really is as bad as he thinks it might be- but he doesn't push. He does, however, get one last word in.

"You still owe me almost half of what I asked for. Try not to die before the payment's done- it'd be rather demoralising for your country if I robbed the bank on the day of your funeral."

Despite the morally corrupt implication in his sarcasm, Hagiwara nonetheless starts laughing at the flippant joke. Kisame finds himself thinking how strange it is that she can still laugh like that, sincere and jovial, even when she’s so obviously worn out.

"At least give them a day before you do,” Hagiwara retorts smoothly, even as her eyes glitter with mirth. "But hopefully it won’t come to that. I don't plan on dying just yet, kouhai. I promise."

“Promises are just words,” he replies- leaving the inference that _she'd best deliver on that if she wants him to believe her_ hanging in air. As Kisame steps towards the exit, Hagiwara’s smile turns a little bit sad, as though what he said had brought something else to mind, and that dejection lingers for a while yet even as she offers him another two-fingered salute.

“Take care of yourself, kouhai. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

There’s no _see you around,_  like she normally leaves him with. Just that.

It’s… unsettling, the subtle finality of that unspoken goodbye. But he doesn’t let it plague his thoughts as he takes off into the streets, unwilling to let that paranoia sink in and take root. Hagiwara has a nasty habit of doing that- getting inside his head even when he doesn’t want her to. Whether it’s her words or her face or even her voice- it all sticks with him the more he sees of her, and it's troubling. It’s why he’s stayed away, because the last time he’d sat at her table she’d shaken his beliefs and left enough of a crack to make him _fake an identity just to collect intel on her, for gods’ sake_.

And now, there’s this. This… _task_ she’s so set on, that may or may not kill her by tomorrow.

“Damn it,” he hisses to himself, rubbing his hand across his face. He’d already been at least somewhat sure of what he wants to do after thinking it over the past week, and now a wrench has been thrown into that idea- because if Hagiwara dies tomorrow, his plans go with her. Right as he’s figured something out, there’s yet another chance the rug could get pulled out from under him again.

Kisame looks up at the moon hanging high in the sky, remembering how it had shone down on him in much the same manner on the moment he’d realised there was nothing truly left for him in Kirigakure. The night he’d decided that following a compass that could lead him anywhere and nowhere was better than living an existence of falsehoods and distrust. Sometimes he thinks this world really does have it out for him, never once letting him know peace for longer than he deserves- but there are things it’s taught him, too. Lessons that have been ingrained into him after years of bloodshed and endless struggle. The Bloody Mist had been cruel, divided, corrupt- and it had also taught him everything he knew about how to survive in an unforgiving world.

If there’s one thing Kisame knows for sure, it's that he shouldn't take chances with luck, either. With that, the former Mist-nin looks towards the quiet township of Waves, remembering the Onami’s house nestled amongst the estate right next to the administrative office, and- as he touches the compass on his right hand- starts thinking of what he has left to lose.

The answer he comes up with- is nothing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This probably will never be brought up again but anyway in this fic Kushimaru is the bastard child of a Hozuki clan member, and he didn't inherit the clan's kekkei genkai. He was considered a member of the lower castes of Kiri since the clan wouldn't claim him, and like most shinobi of his background he was shoehorned into ANBU because of the discrimination involved in the ninja ranks of Kiri (more dangerous missions = sending out the 'expendable' shinobi). No this is in no way a piece of salvaged lore from my old abandoned Kiri-centric story haha what are you talking about.
> 
> Anyway have another quick update over here while i get yeeted into the workforce- im working through most of my pre-written stuff at this point so updates might be getting slower or shorter from here on, but thank you all for your support! I’ll still be writing in my free time, it’s just that work will inevitably eat into that- but i promise that wont stop my feral love for one(1) shark boy lmfao


	9. Asseverate

There's always been one particular story among the hundreds her grandfather told her about Uzushiogakure that's stood out to Natsuki from the very start. Maybe it's because of the physical evidence she sees in the jet black tattoos on Hiroki's shoulders- identical eight-petalled blooms connected by a spiralling swirl in the centre- or maybe she's just heard it more often than any of the others. It's the founding legend of how the Uzumaki, and Uzushio in particular came to exist, how their mastery of fuuinjutsu had begun when Samsara- Goddess of the Eternal Spiral; the Watcher of the Wheel- delivered her divine knowledge through a single mortal she'd chosen as her messenger.

The myth of old speaks of Parami, Samsara's favoured one, who had blessed the Founding People with the knowledge of sealcraft to imbue the protection of the goddess upon them. They say Samsara fashioned her soul herself, having woven the threads of fate untouched by the Shinigami and spinning them into the tapestry that would lead her along her destined path. The girl who would become the Mother of Whirlpools was born amongst a clan marked by fire in their blood and vermillion in her hair, and in her prime she would come to guide many others besides her own to the land that they and their descendants would call home for centuries yet.

The legends vary on how the Land of Whirlpools came to be- some say Parami divided a piece of land from the Continent with nothing but her mastery of ancient fuuinjutsu and the blessings of the divine, while others say she'd raised the island nation from the ocean itself, the sea having parted to make way for the earth that rose at her beck and call. Regardless, all accounts remain certain on one thing- that this feat was to be considered the first and the greatest of the Uzumaki's kinjutsu, and it was never to be replicated again.

On the day she was called back into the arms of the heavens, Parami had laid down to rest among the roots of a tree deep in the forests of the island she had founded, which had cast shelter over her tired soul as the gods claimed her in their embrace. The tree she'd chosen was a fragile one- thin boughs and small leaves and pale bark. It wasn't as tall as the giant shoreas, or as grand as even the smallest chengals, but it was the sturdiest of them all; deep roots reaching far into the ground and keeping it standing upright against even the most unforgiving of storms. A being much like Parami herself had supposedly been- easily overlooked, and yet unyielding.

It is said that on the day of her demise, the once plain trees started growing flowers like they never had before- vibrant, crimson blossoms that would only ever be found in Uzushiogakure. They came to be known as the Eien trees- as eternal and beautiful as the Mother of Uzushio herself, and many of her children would come to wear these flowers as a symbol to invoke her protection and guidance.

As a means of signifying their coming-of-age, anyone from anywhere in the island- shinobi or no- were permitted to undergo the traditional ceremony that would allow them to wear the marks of Parami. Their only condition- they were to venture deep into the forests of Uzushiogakure, inflict no harm upon any living creature upon the land or sky, and retrieve a single flower from the Mother's Tree, from which all the other Eien saplings had originated.

"How would you tell if it was actually from the tree, though?" Natsuki asks, spinning her tessen around her index finger by the loop at its base. She's progressed onto blunt metal fans since she'd passed the initial training with the bamboo ones- the weight and sturdiness these have compared to before are a little hard to get used to, but she's managing under Hiroki's watchful eye. Her grandfather can be an absolute hardass when it comes to training, especially since she's proven herself capable of handling the pressure.

That, and the fact that he seems to have caught on to her whole… adult-in-mind ordeal, even without her having said anything. Hiroki's uncannily quick on the uptake like that.

"We sent a guide with them, of course. We weren't idiots, shōko."

The six year-old snickers at the mildly offended undertone in her grandfather's reply, catching her fan upright as she leans back against her free hand, pressed into the sand. Her grandfather's taken to training her in a small cove on the west coast, far beyond the accessibility of any regular civilian at the base of a sheer cliff face with no other access route. Few boats ever sail by here, what with the coral reefs and rocks along the bay. It's hard to get to from the land, requiring near perfect chakra control on her part to scale the cliffs, but personally, Natsuki much prefers this spot over training in the forest. There's just  _something_  about the sea, she swears.

"Guess this means I'll never get any tattoos of my own, then?" She asks, sounding perhaps a touch more wistful than she'd intended to. It's a pity, really, seal tattoos are an art that a select few, usually of the Kurosawa clan, specialised in back in Uzushiogakure- and now, with the island's few remaining inhabitants scattered, the secrets of that art are dying, if it's not already dead.

"Never is a strong word, shōko. You have many years left- perhaps things will change yet."

 _So very unlikely-_  but Natsuki smiles anyway, unwilling to spoil the mood. She flicks her fan open and closed, idly noting the slight catch in the folding mechanism as she does- looks like it's time for some maintenance when she gets back- and muses aloud, "A one of a kind human, fashioned by the goddess. Does that mean Parami never had a soulmate, then?"

"Oh, so you're curious about that." The teasing lilt of his voice is impossible to miss, and the six year-old shoots her grandfather a dry look that carries all the weight of her adult pessimism. "You'd be right, however. She did not."

"I suppose she couldn't afford the distractions when she had a goddess whispering in her ear."

Hiroki doesn't reply immediately- and the momentary silence is much more foreboding than she'd expected it to be. Natsuki turns to look at her grandfather, who seems… oddly contemplative as he meets her eye. "Some gods can be cruel, Natsuki- and others are merciful beyond our understanding. That contrast is what keeps our world in balance, but it would be wise to remember that bearing one god's favour means tipping the scales unless there is a countermeasure."

The strange, out-of-place answer makes Natsuki straighten up, her hands coming to rest on her knees as she casts Hiroki a long, searching look. "Is there something you're not telling me, Jii-chan?"

Her grandfather returns her stare evenly, and if it's not her imagination, there's something like grief in those old, violet eyes.

"The stories only ever speak of Parami's lover at the moment of their parting." The deliberate avoidance of her question is almost painfully obvious, but Natsuki listens anyway. "It is said that they were the one to have found proof of her demise. There's nothing else about them beyond that."

Natsuki pretends not to see the way Hiroki's hand drifts towards the elaborate dagger sheathed at his waist. She has a feeling she knows just what that 'proof' had been. "Why is that?"

"A piece lost to history, perhaps. Even the Uzumaki cannot remember everything, no matter how much we may have tried." Hiroki rises to his feet then, and Natsuki can’t help but notice the way his chakra deliberately flatlines into something unreadable as he tosses her a wry smile. "Come now, shōko. Let us resume our lesson."

Natsuki groans, dragging the sound far longer than she has to, and Hiroki’s smile widens as he whacks her lightly over the head with his fan. She winces at the mild impact, rubbing her head and tousling her high ponytail as she tries, "Are we finally getting to the part where we hide blades in my fan?”

"One step at a time. Now, are you going to complain, or are you going to learn?"

For a moment, Natsuki contemplates how fast she can run back over the cliff face- before deciding that her grandfather would not only catch up to her before she could blink, but also double her training time just to drive the point home. With a heavy sigh, she pushes herself to her feet, feeling her muscles burning in places she never thought they could and stumbling as she stands up once again. She stretches out her arms, feeling her bones pop with a relieved sigh before she rotates her right arm testily- Hiroki’s been urging her to practice with her non-dominant hand as of late, much to her dismay- and when she’s worked out the kinks in her muscles, she takes a step back.  Natsuki flicks her fan open and readies herself, feet apart and body bent as she holds her weapon at the ready, a mirror of Hiroki’s own loose and deceptively calm stance. Distractedly, she thinks about how the tessen had been Parami's supposed weapon of choice, too- though when and where she'd heard that bit of info… funnily enough, she can’t recall.

She doesn’t get a chance to linger on that, however- because Hiroki’s suddenly much closer than he was before and she only just snaps her fan closed and brings it up to counter his own. She can feel his chakra bristling below the surface, a pathetic echo of just how much harder he would have been able to strike if he wasn't holding back, but all he does is smile at her as she pushes back with everything she’s got, forcing him to retreat just a step.

"Third kata," he commands, and Natsuki nods once before she lunges forward, all thoughts of deja vu pushed aside to think about on another day.

 

*******

 

"You lying cow, I thought we agreed we'd both quit smoking that shit."

Yoshiko barks out a derisive laugh at her accusatory statement, taking a long drag from her cigarette without once breaking eye contact with her just to tick her off. Natsuki merely raises an eyebrow, watching as Yoshiko's lips twitch into a smirk behind her cigarette- a direct challenge to even  _try_  and blow that smoke at her- before she eventually turns her head and breathes it out away from her. Perspiration glistens on the woman's forehead, her cropped, ebon hair pushed back messily over her head, and there's a dark patch of sweat drying against the front of her sleeveless shirt- looks like it's been a long morning on the construction site.

"If you wanted a puff, you could have just asked, akagami," Yoshiko drawls, earning a substantial eyeroll from Natsuki in response.

"Unlike some of us, I'm actually dedicated to the reformation of my habits."

"What can I say? Lying cows need a break every now and then." Yoshiko takes another drag, and Natsuki wrinkles her nose at the smell of burning tar and nicotine. How she ever got hooked on that before is beyond her. "So, what brings you here? I don’t see you around on site often."

Natsuki takes a moment to look around, the building materials scattered in neat piles across the floor of the wide bridge she's standing on. Out in the far distance, she can see where the construction has ceased for the time being, bare foundations and steelwork already laid out and embedded into the seafloor for building the rest of the bridge. “Just thought I’d see how things were going here. It’s been a while since I last checked up on progress.”

A thoughtful hum reverberates through Yoshiko's chest, and she seems to be thinking about something as she drops her cig and crushes it beneath her foot. “Well, we’re in the last stretch now. Shishou says at most we’ll need another two or three months- definitely before the middle of the year.”

"That's good. I can't wait to see how it turns out," Natsuki expresses sincerely, which for some reason earns her a strange look from the resting architect.   
  
“Okay, you’re acting weird. What’s up?” The outright accusation in her tone raises Natsuki's eyebrows.  
  
“This is one of the first major projects I ever got approved. Can’t I feel a little bit sentimental?”  
  
“I know you, akagami. You get sentimental when looking at old pictures, listening to music, and sometimes when you see really fat cats- not over a bridge. That’s  _my_  territory.”  Yoshiko pushes off the part of the bridge she'd been leaning against, her deep grey eyes peering into Natsuki's with an almost piercing concern. Natsuki silently curses- Yoshiko may not be as subtle as her brother, but anyone who thinks she isn't just as sharp as he is would be an idiot. "You have something you want to get off your chest?"

_Yeah, small chance I might end up killing a kid or myself tonight. Hey, did I mention my soulmate's a ninja with a million dollar bounty on his head?_

"Second thoughts, perhaps.” Natsuki settles on the next best answer on the list, which prompts a confused look from Yoshiko. She silently curses Hoshigaki for planting this doubt in her mind, however unintentionally he might have done so. “I need an honest opinion, actually."

"Shoot."

"Do you… think I've done enough to really be the Ōnami's heir, Yoshiko-chan?"

Something gleams dangerously in Yoshiko's eyes at that. Her voice is defensive as she asks, “Where’s this coming from? Did someone say something?”  
  
“No, no. I was just thinking.” Well, Hoshigaki had most certainly said  _something-_  just not the kind of thing Yoshiko's thinking. Natsuki leans her elbows against the railing of the bridge, staring out at the waves lapping against the foundation. The missing-nin's praise had been well-intended, and she'd been flattered, sure, but it has got her thinking perhaps a bit too much on the subject. "When Okaa-chan took her place, she had nothing to work with- and she still did so much. I don't know if I've done nearly enough to really deserve a chance as... you know, a leader. Like she is."

Everything she knows about governance, about what it means to rule a nation, she'd learned in this life. The person she was Before… hadn't had the fortune of that privilege. Born to a family with the duties as the oldest sibling on her shoulders, she didn't have the time to do anything beyond getting by. Public schooling, hand-me-downs from cousins, babysitting when Baba wasn't around, scholarships for public universities, tutoring and other part-times, a cheap diploma and a nine to five on the other side of town- her life then had been so painfully normal it was laughable. Nineteen years she's spent in this new world, and she still can't believe what she has; all these things that she'd never had Before. Magic in her blood, two loving parents, enough money to give her options- and yet she sometimes still feels like that girl who was never meant for anything great.

Just… an ordinary person, doing her best and trying to get by. 

“How many years have you been on the council now, akagami? Two? Three?” Yoshiko's voice is uncharacteristically solemn as she snaps Natsuki out of her reverie, deliberately leaning into her line of sight so she's forced to look at her. Raising her fingers as though to start counting, she muses aloud with an almost sarcastically thoughtful countenance, “Let’s review what you’ve managed to get done since then, shall we? First there was the minimum wage revision, then you proposed that trade agreement between us and Earth Country- which, in case you forgot, is why we have the funds to build this bridge you’re standing on- and there's that whole petition you started just so the ruling council could finally get that stick out of th-”

“Okay, I think I get it, Yoshiko-chan.” She isn't sure she wants to hear the end of that analogy.  
  
“I don’t think you do, Natsuki. Do you even realise how much you’ve done?” Yoshiko's tone leaves no room for argument, ferrous and fuelled by determination to make her point. She jerks a finger towards one of her co-workers standing some distance away- a man Natsuki doesn't quite recognise. “Kentaro-san is living in one of those low-cost housing estates that just got built. Sayaka-san next to him could barely feed her kids until she was hired to work on this project. Isao-san over there? One of the most stone-faced guys I know- and you should have seen him crying when he heard about that healthcare bill that got signed last year. His son's top of his class now, but back then he was so sick he couldn't even get out of bed most days."

Yoshiko doesn't move from where she stands, but for some reason, Natsuki is hit with the distinct urge to take a step back at the intensity of her voice. “You think people are nice to you just because you try to remember their names, akagami? It’s not that simple. If that was it, do you really think you’d have been so easily forgiven after keeping your big secret?”

The fire in her voice rises ever so slightly with that last sentence, and Natsuki feels a throb of guilt in her chest.

“Are you angry at me for that?” she asks, her voice quieter than she would have liked. Yoshiko visibly grits her teeth, her jaw working slightly as she debates her response.  
  
“Yes. And no," she relents with a sigh, rubbing the back of her neck with a hand. “I’m a bit upset that you didn’t trust us enough to tell us the truth. But knowing what happened to Hiroki-jiisan- I know it wasn’t safe for you to just come out and say it, either. I don’t mind a little secrecy as long as you don’t disappear on us.”

Yoshiko's always been the blunt one out of everyone in the group- maybe a bit callously so, but it always comes from a good place. She doesn't mince her words or try to lighten the blows they inflict, and it doesn't always sit well with everyone, but Natsuki appreciates it more than she can express. Sometimes it helps to hear the opinion of someone who views things as they are, subtleties and gentle let-downs be damned.

“Thanks, Yoshiko-chan. I needed that.” Nothing like a good cold dose of reality and objectivity to get her head back on straight and out of her self-pity. Come to think of it, Yoshiko had been the first to snap and literally try to beat some of her braincells into functionality back then, too.

"Always got your back, akagami." A hand lands roughly atop her head as Yoshiko ruffles her hair, and Natsuki just snorts as she shoves her away- gently, of course. She can't be bothered to fix her curls, though- there's no way Yoshiko can make her look worse than she already does, but the older woman scoffs and rearranges her locks again for her anyway.   
  
“This bridge is going to change a lot of things for this country, isn’t it?” Natsuki absently muses aloud, eyeing the clean, still mostly white stone and concrete at her feet. It's certainly changed how the future will proceed, many years from now- but Yoshiko merely groans in response.  
  
“Don’t you go off on that, too. I hear the same spiel from shishou almost every week.” Yoshiko pitches her voice low, an exaggerated frown on her face as she does a piss-poor imitation of Tazuna. “'Easier access routes, lower travel costs, we’re gonna attract  _so_  many foreign investors'- ugh, I could barf.”

At the look of obvious disgust on Yoshiko's  face, Natsuki can't help but snicker as she pulls back. Tilting her head a little, she asks, “You guys thought of a name for it yet? ‘Mainland Bridge’ gets a little stale.”

“It’s shishou’s call, really- but I think he’s got an idea in mind.”  
  
“Oh? Is he naming it after his favourite student at long last?”  
  
“You’ll see.” Yoshiko winks at her, and there's something deliberate behind the playfulness that makes Natsuki wonder what that's all about.

"Fine, be that way." Natsuki sniffs, before her tone lightens while she veers into more comfortable territory. "How's Maeda-san doing?"

"Hinako? She's alright- was really worried about you, though. You were all she could talk about on our last date."

"Is that jealousy I sense, Yoshiko-chan?"

"In your dreams, Hime. I happen to know for a fact that Hinako likes ladies with curves- speaking of which, you put up a missing poster for your ass yet? Can't remember the last time I saw it."

"Screw you, Furihata."

"No can do. Should have offered before I started going steady,  _Hagiwara_."

Their banter goes on in much the same manner, jibes meant to glance without cutting and old, familiar grounds to tread upon. Hatsume's soulmate has always been a bit of an anomaly to Natsuki- her barbed sense of humour and virtual lack of boundaries a stark contrast to the witty, yet otherwise calm and serious brunette who has come to be Natsuki's most trusted ally, second only to Tatsumi. But in all these contradictions, Yoshiko provides a safe space outside the reminders of duty and obligation, a person she can talk to when she wants a moment to feel a little less like an Uzumaki or a Hagiwara, and more like Natsuki. A moment to be normal.

And by the gods, she'll take those whenever she can.

* * *

Natsuki looks over the three drafts she'd made of the Aratani clan's unique suppression seal, each one slightly less messy than the last. She's pretty sure she's gotten the patterns down, as well as the spacing between the letters in each branch- she just hopes the proportions on these drafts carry over well to the actual kid in question. Once she's sure she's got most of the main foundation ingrained into memory, she double checks her supplies as well- rolls of transfer paper for the extensive command lines and anchor points, her thinnest brushes in case it proves too difficult to use her fingers, unactivated ink powder for mixing later when she needs to paint on a haemorrhagic seal for the ceremony- it's all there. Yet she checks again and again, as if she's afraid of missing something important if she does so much as blink.

When she finally convinces herself that she has everything she needs, Natsuki runs her hands through her hair, her fingers catching on the knots as she does so. She drags through them mercilessly, however, not caring for the sting against her scalp as she does so. Stupid hair is almost more trouble than it's worth. If she wasn't so fond of the colouring- having such naturally brilliant hair after a lifetime of jet black locks makes her a little vain, she has to admit- she probably would have shaved it off years ago. Once she's suitably calm, Natsuki hauls her bag of materials over her shoulder and begins to head out, pausing for a moment only to double back and grab her pewter bracelet off the table. Damn compass is  _also_  almost more trouble than it's worth.

As she stops just before the door, Natsuki casts a final glance over at her dresser, staring at the picture of her sitting atop her grandfather's shoulders. Almost without thinking, Natsuki presses a kiss to her fingertips, before touching her hand against the glass of the picture frame.

"Wish me luck, Jii-chan."  _This is what you would have wanted_   _me to do_.

It's a fifteen minute walk at least to get to her parents' place from where she is, and Natsuki doesn’t spare much time to slow down or take in the sights as she treads across the familiar path. Any familiar faces who cross her path are greeted with mildly distracted acknowledgements as she runs through the sealing patterns in her head over and over- until she’s about a good kilometre from her destination, and a signature she doesn’t expect to sense comes into range so suddenly that she actually freezes in her tracks for a moment.

"Oh, you're kidding me." She glares in the direction of the signature, knowing full well the target of her ire is far out of sight and cannot possibly sense her annoyance. That doesn’t stop her from stalking towards the main district at an even faster pace than before, only just keeping herself from channelling chakra into her feet and taking off at a shinobi’s pace- wouldn’t do to freak out the locals, after all, even if she’s leaning a little towards that. It’s with trepidation sparking just beneath her skin that she arrives at the edge of the residential compound, relief only briefly surfacing when she notes that Hoshigaki hasn’t gotten any closer to her family home- but he’s still far too close for her liking.

Natsuki looks up, seeing, as expected, nothing atop the administrative building- but that doesn't diminish the twitchy, crawly tingle of Samehada's chakra against her senses. Taking a deep breath to tell herself to calm down, Natsuki carefully ducks into an alleyway and starts making the hand signs for a camouflage genjutsu of her own. Her Yin chakra enshrouds her like a second skin, and she carefully moulds it such that it would reflect and distort the light around her to conceal her presence. Now safe from any prying eyes, Natsuki sets her sight on the roof of the Ōnami’s office before she leaps skyward, using the surrounding buildings as footholds for her to kick off against and continue her ascent. It feels much more freeing than it should, being able to use her chakra so freely and to feel the wind in her hair, and when Natsuki lands atop the roof- deliberately easing the chakra from her feet so her landing would make an audible sound- she’s almost disappointed that the moment had been so brief.

That momentary lament is quickly brushed aside when Hoshigaki’s voice chimes in with a casual, "Do you need something, Hagiwara-san?”

"You could say that,” Natsuki replies, keeping her voice even. She strolls over so that she’s standing a little closer to where she can feel his signature, stopping just a couple feet to the left of where he seems to be. Samehada’s chakra seems to spike at her approach, as it always does when she gets a little too close, and Natsuki is far too aware of its agitation in contrast to Hoshigaki’s flat signature as she asks, "What are you doing up here, kouhai?"

"Enjoying the view," he replies- how he manages to make even his sarcasm sound like a casual, light-hearted comment is beyond her. Does he take her for an idiot?

"Of my _parents’ place_?" 

"And here I thought you'd appreciate the extra set of eyes since there aren't any security parameters up."

Natsuki feels her eyes narrowing into slits, a jolt of paranoia slamming into her when she realises that he knows her family’s anti-intrusion traps are down. What the hell? She can tolerate him spying on her impromptu meetings, and she can maybe accept him masquerading around town trying to figure out her latest policies and history- but her  _family_ , too?

“What’s your goal here, kouhai?” Natsuki asks, even knowing full well the question won’t receive a straightforward answer. Hoshigaki’s never answered her previous enquiries about his motives with complete honesty, always keeping the pieces vague enough that there’s enough room for her to make the wrong connections for herself.  

Her guess is proven right again when he answers, “It’s as I said. Just watching to see if anything interesting’s going to happen while the defence mechanisms are down.”

 _How did you know_ , she wants to ask.  _Why do you care_ , she wants to know even more. But Natsuki merely closes her eyes and counts to ten, reassuring herself of the facts she knows that Hoshigaki may or may not have. There aren’t any seals up to prevent intruders from barging in, but there are still the tracker seals ready to latch onto unrecognised triggers- harmless, but useful in the event of a robbery or attempted escape. The sealing room, in contrast to the rest of the house, has measures to detain and prevent anything from getting out without the sealer’s authorisation, and a few unpleasant safe-fails in the event that the primary seals don’t work out.  

That still doesn’t explain why he’d thought it necessary to scout out her home. Or, if what she suspects is right, how the hell he’d managed to guess that  _this_  is the place where her sealing ritual is set to go down. If that’s correct, then that only brings on a whole other set of ‘why’s that she really doesn’t want to think about right now.

Goddamn ninja.

“You are…” Natsuki sighs, failing to think of a word she can use. She rubs a hand across her face, murmuring in a language known only to this land in a whole other region, “ _A real pain in my ass_.”

“I'll assume that was a compliment." Hoshigaki barks out a harsh laugh, and Natsuki can already envision his rows of knife-like teeth behind his grin.

“You do that, kouhai,” Is her only response, and it’s with both surprise and mild unsettlement that Natsuki realises she’s smiling as well. The expression quickly drops away as soon as she notices, but the discomfort lingers nonetheless. There’s a bit  _too_  much familiarity in that interaction than there should be, and too little of the vigilance and caution she should be exhibiting in response to him being so aware of her family’s current weaknesses. The imbalance is illogical, but even knowing that, Natsuki can’t seem to force herself to view it in the context that should be ‘right’. She’s  _calm_ , and she knows she shouldn’t be.

Kazuki's words -  _a mere half-step away from care_   _-_  resound in her mind. If that’s the influence Hoshigaki’s imparting upon her, she isn’t sure if she likes it. Natsuki’s about to say it's time for her to go, avoiding the source of her troubles the way she knows she shouldn’t but does anyway- but he beats her to the chase by speaking first.

"Kisame."

What.

"Hoshigaki, Kisame." He repeats, a bit louder this time than he had before. "That's my name. You can stop using that ridiculous title now."

Natsuki is so utterly floored that her brain takes a moment to catch up. He- what the hell? He’s a missing-nin. From a country with entire units of ninja dedicated to hunting traitors. He has a sword that’s considered one of the village’s most valued treasures which they probably would love to get back. All of this, in addition to the fact that he’s revealed his true face- which, to be frank, should have probably been a giveaway on its own for anyone who cared to look at a bingo book- and he’s confessed both his first and his clan name to her.

The full spectrum of this information could destroy him, draw all pursuers onto his tail if she so much as breathed his name to the right people. She knows that he knows that- it’s why he’d not told her his identity even before this- and yet, he’d done it anyway.

 _Why_  echoes through her head yet again. But even more than that- the gesture plants a seed of gratitude in her chest that she doesn’t expect.

"Hoshigaki-san," Natsuki says his name aloud for the first time, her lips testing each syllable with tentative care as it rolls off her tongue. Hoshigaki’s chakra quivers slightly when she says it, and she feels goosebumps rising on her arms in response- that's such a  _strange_  sensation to feel from the whirlpools and tidal waves running through his coils. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Telling me." She tries for another smile, even knowing he can’t see it, and she rubs her hand over the back of her neck as she says, "It's an interesting name. Native Water?"

"It's common," he replies, and Natsuki wonders if he's joking. 'Demon shark' doesn't strike her as one of the top baby name picks out there, but then again she doesn't know enough about Water Country to judge.

"Never would have guessed,” she replies, earning a quiet snort from Hoshigaki in turn. His chakra gives away his mild discomfort- that familiar feeling of  _steady yet unsettled_  circulating in his coils- and Natsuki wonders if this revelation had been meant as a surprise, or a spur of the moment decision. Either way, she chooses not to pry- instead, she allows the silence to settle into place between them, and it doesn’t feel as awkward as she’d expected it to.

Natsuki looks out at the houses scattered around the surrounding district, all bathed in the colours of twilight. Streaks of lavender and violet intertwine with the usual rays of orange and gold, and she can't help but stare at the sight with a bit more sentiment than usual. From up here, she can see the ocean far off in the distance, the mangrove forests curling over the land closest to the sea like a protective blanket against the waves, and the buildings and houses that grow thinner in density the further they stretch out into the farmlands. It's not the best vantage point on the island- nothing could compare to the view on Mount Sato, nestled among the southern forests- but it's not half bad, either. She decides to tell Hoshigaki as much.

"You know, you're right. The view from here really isn't too bad," she remarks, perhaps a bit more softly than she'd intended. “I’m surprised I’ve never thought to look at this place from up here before. You’ve got a good eye.”  
  
"I thought you worked here?"  
  
"It's easy to miss the simple things, sometimes." 

Hoshigaki's chakra wavers for a moment, as though he intends to speak- before he seems to think better of it, and merely hums wordlessly. The quietude is a welcome reprieve- giving her a moment to just survey this place she's grown up in, and filling her with a sense of ease and assurance that she'll need for the task that awaits. This island is small, tinier than any of the lands beyond its shores -  _so much tinier than a part of her feels it should be_  - but it's her home, just as much as it is to friends and family she would give her life to protect.

Maybe it could be home to Juugo and Mitsuha, too. All she needs to do is get this right, and maybe it would work out from there.

"Daylight's fading. Shouldn't you be on your way?" Hoshigaki asks, prompting Natsuki to exhale sharply as she's brought back to the present.

"Trying to chase me off already? Here I thought you enjoyed my company," she can't help but tease, and she can  _feel_  the look he's probably shooting her instead of responding. With yet another short laugh, Natsuki relents and says, "You're right, though- I should be going. It was nice talking to you again, ko- Hoshigaki-san."

"Try not to die,” he returns, and despite herself, Natsuki smiles. He has a tendency to make throwbacks to previous statements, and she isn’t sure if they’re meant as reminders or just simple coincidence.

“I know, I promise.” One last glance over her shoulder, a short wave, and Natsuki uses a shunshin to get herself back on the ground, dropping her genjutsu at the right time as she walks out into the street and blends in with the surrounding people. The transition from stealth to relaxed routine comes perhaps a bit too naturally to her, but Natsuki rolls with it and trains her eyes on her parents’ place just a street over. No more distractions, now.

With her hands tucked in the pockets of her pants to keep herself from fidgeting, Natsuki continues her journey- and all the while, her skin is alight with the all-too-telling feeling of Hoshigaki's eyes on her back.

* * *

Juugo’s drawing at the dining table when she enters the house, and while he does jump slightly when he hears her closing the door behind her, he doesn’t turn to look at her. Her parents greet her in hushed tones upon her arrival, while Mitsuha- sitting by Juugo’s side- merely turns towards her and inclines her head in acknowledgement. Natsuki hesitates to approach the kid, feeling torn between just getting started on the sealing right off the bat or actually trying to speak to Juugo before they begin. His chakra betrays his true state of mind- whirling in agitated circles and fear and guilt permeating his every breath. He’s scared of what’s going to happen now- but he’s also ashamed, for what he did, and what he _could_ have done to her.

Natsuki wishes she’d had the sense to heal the scratch on her face as soon as she had the chance to- and she would have, if she hadn’t thought about Hoshigaki and worried that she would have startled him.

Glancing at Mitsuha, Natsuki carefully spikes her chakra in a set of patterns to signal her inquiry- something like Morse code for ninja sensors, she remembers thinking when her grandfather had taught her the skill. For a moment, Mitsuha doesn’t reply- and then her own chakra rises and falls in response, spelling out the reply ‘in the clear, approach slowly’. With the okay from the Aratani elder, Natsuki carefully swings her bag off her shoulders and lowers it to the floor before drawing closer, hands held loosely in front of her as she approaches. She makes sure to make each step resound clearly while keeping her own movements easy and casual, but even then Juugo still seizes up a little when she slides into the seat opposite his. He grips his crayon a little tighter, pressing the nib into the paper a touch more forcefully than before, and Natsuki feels her heart sink at the poor reception. She doesn’t want to push, but… she needs him to feel at least a little more at ease for this sealing ceremony.

So, she speaks up in a gentle tone, making sure to keep her words light enough that he can tell she isn’t afraid or mad at him. "Hey there, Juugo-kun. I know your grandma's already told you what's going to happen, but it probably seems really scary, doesn't it?" The scribbling slows slightly, and his eyes flicker up to hers for a second before darting away again. That’s a good enough start. Leaning forward a little, Natsuki assures him, "It's okay to be scared- but I promise that I'll do my best to finish this as quickly as possible."

Juugo doesn't reply- instead he keeps his eyes fixed on the paper, his lower lip trembling slightly as he refuses to look at her or respond. Natsuki wants to reach out for him, to just take his hand in hers or maybe even give the kid the hug he so sorely needs- but she refrains, afraid of the reaction that might invoke. If the kid can't even look at her without being reminded of what he'd almost done, she doubts that physical contact will make him any better. He's nervous, and the last thing she needs is to overwhelm him or make him feel restrained.

So, she settles on the next best thing. She paints a pretty picture for him to imagine with her words.

"Hey, after all this is over, do you wanna hang out with me for a day?" Natsuki adds a little more cheer into her voice, and notices the way his head moves just so slightly, allowing him to peer out the corner of his eye towards her. He stops drawing, too- all attention on her at the offer. "I can show you my favourite spots on the island- and I can get you anything you feel like eating. How's about it? I'll take you for a walk on the beach, or through the forest, or wherever you want to go." For some reason, a specific memory chooses to arise from the bog of nigh-forgotten details that she'd deemed irrelevant in her mind- the image of a bird perched on a much older Juugo's shoulder, and his face set into an expression of utter tranquillity. "We could even go bird watching- I know the perfect spot. How's about it?"

"Promise?" The question that comes out of his mouth- so soft and gentle, so unlike the ferocious growl she'd heard from him before- makes Natsuki's heart swell just as much as it breaks. She manages to keep her composure, lifting her hand and extending her pinkie for him to take, and that's when Juugo finally looks up at her, his eyes wide with such hope and trust that it hurts. He seems uncertain as to what her gesture means, instead reaching out to wrap his whole hand around her finger in confusion, and Natsuki manages a startled laugh at the innocent gesture. She rearranges his hand for him, grateful for the fact that he doesn't flinch at the contact, and when his pinkie is wrapped securely around hers, she shakes it once for good measure.

"Pinkie promise," Natsuki affirms, sounding much more confident than she truly feels. She's making a lot of those these days- she just hopes she'll keep her end of the deal for each one. "But first, we’ll have to get through this together, okay? Are you ready?”

Those large, trusting eyes come up to meet hers again, and though he pauses for a moment, Juugo slowly nods once. With that affirmation, Natsuki exchanges a look with Kaoru from across the room, and her mother nods once as she grabs her bag and heads towards the prepared room. Juugo seems hesitant at first, but when Natsuki slides her hand into his and stands on her feet, he willingly follows suit- and though he still seems a bit fearful, his chakra seems to be calmer than it was before. That’s all she can ask for at this point.

"We'll do everything we can, Mitsuha-san." Natsuki glances over at the old woman one last time, injecting as much assurance into her words as she can manage.

"I'd trust no one else, Hagiwara-chan." Mitsuha’s grip on her cane shifts slightly, scarred and gnarled knuckles catching her eye as Natsuki can only guess at the stories and years each etch in her skin tells- and yet, this woman still trusts her enough with the last known member of her family. This boy, upon whose shoulders the future of her clan rests.

When this is over, Natsuki can only hope that she will have earned that faith.

* * *

Things go wrong about halfway through the ritual- which, honestly, is later than Natsuki had expected. She'd been ready for something to happen right at the very start, from the moment Juugo had twitched as soon as her bloodied thumb started drawing the main foundation of the seal against his stomach. To have the obviously nervous and terrified child lie so still as she'd completed half the seal had been a blessing in and of itself, until his body had reacted to the perceived threat- whether it had been fuelled by the invasion of foreign chakra or Juugo's own emotional distress is hard to say, maybe it's both- and the beginnings of a transformation started spreading across his right side.

Natsuki had had a rather unpleasant sense of deja vu upon seeing the eerie black and red markings snaking across his skin, heralding his descent into animalistic madness. Not just because she'd seen it happen just a day ago and had been utterly blindsided, but because the process looks so much like what she'd seen happen to Sasuke Uchiha from the Story in her past life that it only stood out to her all the more.

It's kind of funny that she only remembers these things with such clarity when faced with dire situations. In a hysterical kind of way.

“Hold him for just a little longer, Kaa-san. I'm almost done.”

“Don't rush it, Natsu. Keep your hands steady.”

 _Easier said than done_. Natsuki would have said something in response if she wasn't so focused on writing the new string of sealing laws on the legs of the boy thrashing against his restraints.  _Redirect, convert, glycogen, stabilise, repress, oxidise_ \- it's difficult to write each character legibly when the person she's writing them on keeps trying to escape and is screaming all sorts of things about how he'll tear her limb from limb, but she manages. Just as hers had the day before, Kaoru’s adamantine chains are wrapped around each of Juugo's limbs as well as his torso and neck, holding him down against the mattress they’d laid onto the floor and restraining his movements as much as possible.

Perspiration trickles down Natsuki’s forehead, and the overhead fluorescent lights are starting to make her head hurt with how bright they are. The cuts on her thumb and forefinger are starting to throb, the bleeding only kept going by the seal she’s painted across the back of her hand, and her ears are ringing from all the yelling that Juugo's been doing the moment his body started reacting- viciously- to the seal settling into his skin, but she pushes onward. They have one shot. Just one, and if she messes this up…

“Stop it, stop it!” Another spasm of muscle, and Natsuki has to stop briefly from where she'd been writing the command for ‘heart’ against the transfer paper she’d stuck against Juugo's thigh. The skin of the boy’s leg is turning a dark grey, as had most of his body at this point, and a sense of dread begins to settle in Natsuki's bones when she contemplates the possibility of him transforming completely. Not for the harm he could inflict- he's  _four_ , for gods' sake, they can handle him- but rather, the kind of harm he could inflict upon himself by doing so. Kaoru's lightning-inclined chakra burns sharper and more viciously than Natsuki's does, which carries over into her sealing chains as well- it's hard not to see the skin under the links being rubbed raw while simultaneously burning in faint, branching lines without feeling a little sick. However, the sight also serves to fuel her resolve to finish this without wasting any time. Whatever threats Juugo makes fall against deaf ears as Natsuki hones her focus down to razor points, entirely consumed with getting this ritual out of the way so they can work on healing those wounds before they can scar.

The moment Natsuki caps the line with the seventh distortion hexagram and joins it to the heart of the seal, she immediately moves to the boy's right arm, the sound of her pulse pounding louder and louder with each second. “One more line to go.”

“I can hold him. Finish it, carefully now," Kaoru urges, and the faint underline of strain in her voice makes Natsuki's anxiety spike. Juugo has almost completely transformed now, and he's pulling against the chains with enough strength to actually squirm about- but Natsuki holds his arm down with chakra enhancing every  _muscle ligament joint_  in her fingers, and for a moment she doesn't care what that's doing to her or the kid himself. Instead, as she completes the final character on the branch and draws the output spiral in the middle of Juugo's palm, she wastes no time in placing her hands over his stomach, praying to every god and above that she hadn't made a mistake somewhere. Her eyes run over each formula one last time, barely needing to refer to the diagram off to the side after endless nights of familiarising herself with this complex circuit- and when she meets Kaoru's gaze again, she merely nods.

“Ready.” Kaoru's violet eyes are piercing under the fluorescent lights of this small enclosed room, and there's a confidence and pride in them that makes Natsuki's fingers curl slightly.

“On my count,” she says, and Natsuki nods. She feels her chakra burning beneath her fingertips, itching to activate the seal- but not before Kaoru removes her chains from the boy’s person. There's too much of a risk that her chakra chains would interfere with such a delicate seal- the timing here has to be perfect. “One, two…”

The chains dissolve.

“Three.”

Natsuki's hands press flat against Juugo's core, and the seal flares to life just as he surges to his feet. The sealing commands contract, hundreds of chakra formulae forming new pathways and blockers that plunge into his coils- but the mechanism takes root just a second too late. Natsuki only has a second to recognise the strange, piston-like appendage forming on Juugo's arm before the blow collides with her temple, hard enough to make her head snap to the side as she's thrown back, her prone form skidding across the floor.

Natsuki finds herself lying there for a moment, dazed, as she blinks slowly and tries to figure out what the hell just happened. There's a dull throb on her head, and something- warm? It kind of tickles. She vaguely registers her mom shouting her name, as well as Juugo screaming as he suddenly drops onto his side, convulsing and clawing at himself as the seal distorts his coils and forces him into submission. The ringing in her ears is overpowering now, filtering all noise through a blurry haze that makes everything unintelligible, and even as her vision tilts slightly she somehow manages to focus on the bright blur of Juugo's form just before he slumps over, suddenly still. No screams, no movement- just silence.

The last conscious thought that goes through Natsuki's head is-  _oh gods, please, please don't be dead_ \- before her eyes slide shut, and everything is lost to a fuzzy mist of nothingness.

* * *

Drowning.

That's what death feels like. It's cold, oppressing darkness choking the life out of her lungs with each attempted breath. How did it happen? She can't remember. Might have been a freak accident. Maybe she drowned for real, and that impression had carried over. Either way, it's left one particularly distinct impression on her- a fear of the void. The dreams where she's back in that place-that-isn't-a-place are always the worst. There's nothing to be found in them, no warmth, no cold, nothing- yet she's conscious and aware of something ever present, ever watching from beyond the veil of absence.

And the crying. Oh god, the  _crying_. A hundred voices wailing and screaming and they're one and then thousands and they're men women children -  _my children_  - and fire burns even if there's no pain  _\- must lay them to rest_  - and she cannot join the cacophony of madness -  _return them to me_  - for if she does she fears she will be lost to it just as much as the rest.

 _Vassal of my Heart._  One voice rings clear above the rest, a focal point amidst the mess.  _Free them_.

Somehow, in the emptiness, she makes out a face. Her face, but not- different, yet similar enough that they could be siblings. The stranger's eyes are too sad, older than even hers- and her hair is too long, though the red curls are nearly a carbon copy of her own. She knows this person, and yet she doesn't- her name escapes her grasp like water in her hands, slipping through the cracks and leaving only the faint tells of its presence. The stranger's mouth moves- even her voice is different, higher, clearer- and she demands,  _"_ Free _us."_

Something within Natsuki bids her heed. An instinct so deeply ingrained into her soul it makes the words feel like a command and not a request. It brings her to heel, places an image in her mind and steels it  _east_ , fixes her vision on sights she's never seen and oceans she's never crossed. Defiance echoes quietly at the back of her head-  _don't, don't go, there's nothing there for you, you promised_ \- but it is drowned out by something greater than herself, a possessiveness that will not release her until she adheres to it completely.

Natsuki nearly caves, almost gives in to the exhaustion and the weariness that bids her to just give in and rest- when there's suddenly another force that jerks her away. A pull in the opposite direction- gentle yet fierce, a riptide that's somehow soft as a breeze. It calls her to stay -  _you **promised** , Hagiwara_ - and that alone, inexplicably,  _impossibly_ , makes everything quiet. There's no disembodied voice calling for her to relinquish control, no cries of those lost in the fade begging for rest. For the first time in years, the shadows are quiet in a way they've not been since the day she'd held that bloodstained dagger in her hands. Utterly, wonderfully silent.

In this place beyond sleep and wakefulness, Natsuki lays her head down, and decides to rest in this serenity for just a bit longer.

* * *

_Where has she seen that face before?_

* * *

Wool stuffed in her head. It’s a feeling she’s no stranger to, and she isn’t appreciating it any more than she did the first time around. There’s nothing but  _white_  to greet her eyes when she opens them again, and for a moment, Natsuki panics. Unfamiliar sky. Unfamiliar bed. Strange, foreign, _not right-_  and then she feels a hand wrapping over hers, feels the crackle of rumbling thunder in the person next to her, and she relaxes almost out of pure instinct. Safe. It’s safe, as long as Kaoru’s here, and so she’s able to calm herself down long enough to fully come to. The empty whiteness turns into panels lining the ceiling, the smell of disinfectant and sanitiser, the too-stiff blanket of the clean white bed she’s lying on- all of it tells her where she is before she even sits up.

"Natsu,” Kaoru breathes, her voice resounding almost too clearly in her ears. Instead of responding verbally, Natsuki tries to push herself up, and she’s met with her mom’s hands grasping her arms for support as she does so. Funnily enough though, getting herself upright again isn’t as hard as she’d expected it to be. "Careful, now. How are you feeling?"

"Did it work?" The question is blurted out before she can think twice, the memories of the ceremony coming back to her in a flood that sends anxiety running through her veins. She remembers how she’d seen Juugo go still, and her eyes dart towards Kaoru’s face with trepidation as she fears the look that she’ll see on her mom’s face- but to her utmost relief, Kaoru smiles back.

"Mitsuha-san is watching over him now. So far, he seems to be alright." Kaoru brings a hand to her face, pushing aside the hair hanging over her face as she murmurs, "You did wonderfully, Natsu. Don't worry- I have no doubt Juugo-kun will be alright."

The breath of relief that leaves Natsuki’s lungs leaves her hunched over a little, solace and reassurance wrapping around her chest and constricting so hard it’s almost hard to breathe. She could cry with relief-he’s okay, she’d gotten something _right-_  and when Natsuki catches her breath again, she can’t quite keep her voice from shaking as she tries to joke, “How mad was Doctor Hasegawa when she saw me in here?”  
  
“She may have said something about you being the worst patient she’s ever had.” Kaoru laughs, but there’s an undercurrent of strain to it that Natsuki doesn’t miss, even in her blurry state of mind. When she looks up at her mom, there’s a humourless smile on her face, concern etched in the wrinkles near her temple as she leans in and asks, a little more quietly, "How much do you remember, Natsu?"

The question actually makes Natsuki pause for a moment. It takes her longer than it should to gather her thoughts, recounting the moments leading up to the sealing ceremony, but after that… she draws a blank. She remembers watching Juugo fall, but what else?

"I remember finishing the seal, and Juugo-kun's arm turned into this..." Natsuki can't find the word she's looking for, and instead gestures vaguely, as if she could convey the structural detail of Juugo's transformed limb through sheer gesticulation. She makes some obscure noise to emphasise her point, and the concern painted on Kaoru's face seems to shadow over with greater severity. What's wrong? "I remember him hitting me, I think. After that I-" Natsuki stops again, before suddenly looking around the room with a newfound confusion. "Actually, how did I get here?"

Instead of answering, Kaoru rubs her hands over her face, mumbling something that sounds vaguely like ‘ _Shinigami have mercy'_. Natsuki starts to get a little worried, now- had she done something wrong? It's not every day her mother calls upon one of the old gods for whatever aid they can spare.

"Kaa-san, is something the matter?”

Kaoru takes a deep breath before replying. "The doctor confirmed it wasn't anything too severe- but you were bleeding heavily because of the haemorrhaging seal. I had to disengage it before we could take a proper look." Her mom’s hand drifts upwards past her hairline, but there’s only smooth skin there instead of any wound Natsuki would have expected to feel. "The blow itself was enough to concuss you, but we're optimistic that there's no long-term damage. I managed to use the Healing Bite before any major damage could set in."

"Then, what's wrong?" Natsuki asks, starting to get a little worried now. Kaoru looks at her with something like reluctance in the set of her jaw, as if the answer to that is going to leave a sour taste in her mouth- but before she can say anything, the door to the hospital room opens. Natsuki looks over and sees her mother in the doorway, a look of utter relief written across her face, and she can’t help but feel a swell of calm at the sight of her.

And then her eyes drift to the space behind Ayano- and she stills.

"Nacchan." Her mother comes to her side with quick steps, wrapping an arm around her shoulder with such care that it’s as though she’s afraid she’ll break. "How are you feeling? Does it hurt anywhere?"

Natsuki doesn't move to return the hug- instead, she remains frozen as she stares over her mother's shoulder, eyes fixed upon the man standing in the doorway. Despite what her eyes are showing her, her chakra sense is telling her something else altogether. The stranger has light grey eyes set in his broad face, the corners of his lips upturned slightly and emphasising the rather deep smile lines she can make out on his ochre skin. His stiff, dark hair looks more blue than black as the thick strands stand upright on his head, and is cut short such that it barely frames his distinctly squarish jaw.

By all accounts, Natsuki's never seen this man in her life. But when she detects the familiar sensation of rolling waves and endless oceans in his chakra, she knows immediately who he is.

"Sure took your time waking up, Hagiwara-san." The moment his expression shifts into that roguish grin she's gotten so used to seeing- how the hell is she able to recognise that smile even without his uncannily sharp teeth?- Natsuki feels the blood rushing away from her head as she realises what's happened while she was out cold.

She almost wishes she hadn't woken up, because it looks like Kisame Hoshigaki has introduced himself to her parents.

Natsuki wants to laugh. And maybe cry a bit. Or a lot! So instead she settles on a compromise, and decides to promptly black out again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((strums guitar)) we out here veering into bs town no brakes no stops and i say yeehaw
> 
> Anyway while I'm here just thought I'd give a long overdue shoutout. Big thanks to everyone who's left a kudos or bookmarked or subscribed to this fic, I really do appreciate all the support yall leave on this silly ol thing. To the lot of you that have been here from the beginning and have taken the time to leave an encouraging word whenever you can, thank you- KenzieP, booksandbrownies and Vyn, yall out here being MVPs from the very start and I can't begin to express how much reading your comments gives me the motivation to keep on goin on. Yall's interpretations and damn near spot on predictions are a joy to read and sometimes heart-attack inducing lmfao, and i appreciate every single one of you. Have a good week luvs, and I'll see yall in the next one!


	10. Prelude

Sometimes he looks at Hagiwara and sees ghosts- not all dead, but they haunt him all the same. He looks away too long, and suddenly the lightness of her voice is Mangetsu's, airy and level all at once, with the same maturity beneath the bravado. He sees her stiffen, and he's reminded of Zabuza, all exposed nerves and coiled muscles that snap at anything that comes near. He blinks once too many times, and he'll see Mei in the red of her hair- bloodied earth instead of pure crimson, the same conviction and surety in her little smirk that never really reaches her eyes.

And those are the worst- her _eyes_. Sharp, but warm and open. So full of trust- so much like that girl from the Cypher Division. Eyes that he still sees even years after he'd closed them.

There's a higher being out there who's laughing at the hand they'd dealt him. He just knows it.

"It's easy to miss the simple things, sometimes," she'd said, voice sad and yet at ease all at once. It's spoken with a grief that's lost its edge, smoothed out like broken glass that's tumbled through the waves. He'd almost asked what it was that she'd missed, what she'd lost to know what it is to lament and wish she'd known better, but he'd stopped himself. It hadn't been his place to ask.

He almost wishes he had now, as he stares at the Onami's residence under the cover of night. There's the constant hum of activity rising from the surrounding streets, all the denizens of Waves going out to dinner or chatting with their friends or running to the market for a last minute dinner purchase. There's a man who's already tipsy three streets away, barely being held up by his two friends who jest at him being a lightweight. A group of kids playing tag in the street as their older sister chases after them and threatens to tell their parents. Friends and families laughing as they take to the streets for a peaceful night out.

And the Onami's house remains utterly silent amidst it all. Sound-dampening seals still up, as he'd expected. He could go closer to see what's going on, but that would risk putting him within the range of the other sensor- he'd noticed that old lady turning his way when he'd been monitoring the premises earlier that day. Her range is nowhere near as terrifying as Hagiwara's, so he's safe enough where he is now, but that also means he can't go close without risking his position.

Without sight or sound as an indicator, Kisame has to settle on the only other option he has left. His compass sways slowly as it points towards the large house, and he's not felt anything off since Hagiwara had disappeared from view. He isn't about to do anything stupid and risk breaking Hagiwara's focus in turn- it's been a good couple hours since she'd gotten into the house, _something's_ definitely happening.

Samehada keens ever so slightly from where it sits against his back, and Kisame scowls slightly when he feels it tug on his chakra more intently than before. It does this every time Hagiwara’s close by, still insistent on getting a taste of her chakra, and he has to wonder just what's so good about it to make his sword act like this. He hasn't been exerting his own reserves enough for Samehada to feed any of its own collected chakra back to him, and he hasn't seen Hagiwara use any elemental jutsu to even tell what nature type she is, but all this does make him curious.

He doesn't get to wonder about that for long, however, because that's when it happens. The sign he'd both been waiting for and dreading- pain, blooming across his wrist like a physical impact that feels hard enough to bruise.

There's a strange sort of detachment between his actions and his mind in that moment- all while he knows full well what will happen and the risk this puts himself in, his feet still move forward anyway. Kisame leaps from the administrative building onto the surrounding roofs without a single sound or the slightest shift of air, making his way towards the Onami's house even as he knows he isn't sure what to expect. He pauses on the wall at the back of the house- the one most out of sight and least likely to be noticed- to briefly consider the consequences of breaking through a window that might be riddled with reinforcement seals, and decides to do it anyway.  There's only one goal in mind, and it drives him forth with a nearly mindless instinct.

Buffering the glass with his chakra, Kisame uses a single pulse to break the window inwards, with only the sound of tinkling glass against the floor as the only indication of his break-in. When no alarms go off and nothing tries to set him on fire, he leaps past the windowsill and straight into the house, not pausing for even a moment as he navigates the house through sheer instinct and Samehada subtly directing his steps.

The only thing that makes him stop is the sight of the two women standing in what looks to be the living room, right in front of the staircase. One is the blind woman he'd seen before, and the other… well, he's seen those eyes before, but this is the first time he's ever seen them on this face. The Onami is straight-backed and defiant even behind the woman standing protectively in front of her, dark hair framing her face and her fierce eyes as it falls loosely past her shoulders.

A sharp gasp leaves the lips of the older, white-haired woman, and Kisame notices the way her stance shifts ever so slightly with a hint of trepidation and uncertainty. "This chakra…"

Damn it, he doesn't have time for this. Shortly, he asks, "Where is she?"

Realisation dawns over the Onami's face at his words, breaking her cold expression as her eyes go wide. In an almost fearful whisper, she asks, " _You're_ the one?"

Kisame doesn't bother replying- neither of them had answered his question, and he has no reason to do the same, even if he wonders how she could possibly know. Samehada's hissing against his back, nudging him to go _up_ , so he doesn't need anyone's prompting anyway. He has every intention of following that directive- but then the Onami shifts her stance to block the stairwell, and her voice is so harsh that he actually stops to listen.

"Don't interrupt. You'll risk all their lives if something goes wrong."

Despite his agitation, Kisame manages to grin as he raises his right hand, deliberately flashing his compass as he says, "With all due respect, Onami-sama, it would seem that's already the case."

He doesn't wait on her response, instead using a body flicker to get around the women and up the stairs. He hears the sensor exclaim behind him as he does so, but he doesn't pause as he arrives on the landing of the second floor. Even without Samehada's guidance, a persistent itch on his hand seems to pull him towards one door in particular, and when he stops in front of it for just a fraction of a second to look at his compass, he confirms that it's pointing straight inside, without the slightest waver.

Kisame doesn't need any further prompting as he braces his shoulder against the door and shoves- nothing like a little old brute force to get the job done sometimes. To his surprise, the door gives easily, this one also without setting off any alarms and explosions, and it swings open to reveal a woman with wavy silver hair, wound in a tight bun behind her head.

Before he can even register anything else, the woman's deep violet eyes narrow. Her hands start forming seals almost too fast for him to catch, and a flurry of chains are sent hurtling right at him before he can do so much as blink. She’s quick, but Kisame is quicker- and he pulls Samehada off his back just in time to block the onslaught. The sword bursts out of its constraints as its scales greedily grasp at the chakra constructs- Kisame hadn’t even realised they were made of pure chakra, and from the way Samehada seems to shiver as it consumes the chains, it’s lightning-nature. Not its favourite, but better than fire.

The woman seems to catch on to the ineffectiveness of her attack quickly, so she drops the jutsu almost as suddenly as she’d launched it, and Kisame only just manages to see her _shunshin_ to the farthest side of the room, grabbing the two other individuals in there with her as she does so. She curls defensively over her wards- the first is an unconscious kid who’s clad only in undershorts, with terrible burn marks encroaching on his skin over his neck, torso and limbs, and a large blood seal that seems to run over the entirety of his chest. That alone is curious enough, but all Kisame can focus on is the person propped up against the wall next to him, even as the silver-haired woman radiates chakra that just about electrifies the air he breathes in.

Natsuki.

The first thing he notices is the blood. There's too much of it- carmine dripping through her fingers and down her face as she loosely clutches at her head. There's ink on the other hand lying across her stomach- a distinct, unified two-pronged seal that starts on the back of her palm- and Hagiwara's muttering under her breath so quietly that even he can only catch snippets of what she's saying. Something about voices, home and _no no no,_ over and over _._ Hallucinations, then- or delirium. Either way it doesn't bode well, but he doesn't get to do so much as move before a flood of killing intent pierces his skin like a million needles, and he's forced to look back at the woman standing between him and his soulmate. The lady- Kaoru, he thinks that might be the name he'd heard; less obviously an Uzumaki than her daughter is- has got a nasty glare, and man, if looks could kill he’d be bleeding out already.

" _Shichinin-shu_." The venom in the way she speaks of his former affiliation reminds him an awful lot of his soulmate's cat- but this isn't the time for a fight. Deliberately, Kisame straightens out of his defensive posture, and eases his grip on Samehada so that he looks less antagonistic. He doesn’t get the same courtesy in turn, as the woman doesn’t so much as blink while she maintains her own battle-ready stance.

"We don't have time for this. Hagiwara-san needs medical attention." He gestures towards said person, and something seems to click into place in Uzumaki's eyes- the same horror and realisation that had been on the Onami’s expression as she realises who he is. Looks like Hagiwara has either been lying about keeping on the down low, or she’s not been as subtle as she’d assumed.

"You’re joking.” Her voice seems to lose all its fire from before, the intense violet of her eyes darting from her daughter to him with a plethora of different emotions crossing her face. Kisame doesn’t even try to dissect each one- they're wasting time and Hagiwara doesn’t look like she can afford the lost seconds.

"She needs to get that injury seen to,” he repeats insistently- but the single step he tries to take earns makes the Uzumaki woman flinch as she lowers herself back into an offensive crouch, half-instinctive and half-wary of his approach. Kisame openly scowls back, no longer caring for the formalities. “I’m not here to pick a fight.”

"Kouhai?" Hagiwara suddenly mumbles, and that’s when she looks up, seemingly unfocused and yet clearly coherent enough to take note of him. That seems to get Uzumaki's attention off him for a minute, and she hesitates only a moment before she’s kneeling before Hagiwara, her hands coming up to cradle her face.

"Natsu, can you understand what I’m saying?" The woman's question doesn't seem to register as Hagiwara merely squints back, puzzlement written plain as day over her face as she tries to process the question. If Kisame had any doubts about her being concussed before, he doesn't anymore.

"If you can't heal her, you need to take her to someone who can."

"I need to cut off the seal before anything can be done," Uzumaki snaps at him as she reaches for something on the ground, and that's when he takes note of the inkstone and brush lying next to Hagiwara. In the mad rush the woman had taken to get everyone out of his way, he’d failed to notice the inconspicuous materials sitting there, a splatter of black ink on the floor from where it had splashed off the sides of the holding well. The woman grabs Hagiwara's right hand- looking at it again, he can see that the lines of the seal are slashed at certain points with thicker, heavier strokes- and as she picks up her brush again, she continues crossing out the links in an order that is far too specific to be random. "Don't tell _me_ how I should care for my daughter, shinobi."

"Can’t see." Hagiwara suddenly says. She twitches slightly, and he can see the chakra in the air wavering around her, like a half-formed genjutsu that doesn’t quite take form. Even her mom shivers when it comes into contact with her while she works. "Home is- cold. They're trapped. She wants-" Her words devolve from there into a flurry of Eastern dialect, none of which he can understand but it's enough to make Uzumaki's brow furrow with worry.

"Hold on, Natsu. Just hang in there a bit more."

"Cold." She whimpers again, and her breathing grows quicker, more agitated. It’s withdrawal, Kisame realises belatedly- chakra withdrawal. He’s seen it in long-term genjutsu users on the frontline, who fail to balance the usage of their Yim energy with Yang. The imbalance usually results in spasms and fevers as the physical energy burns off- but this is different.

"What's happening to her?" Kisame doesn't stop himself from questioning, and the woman's gaze flickers to him for only half of a moment before she's back to focusing on the seal lines.

"Too much Yin chakra," is her clipped response, and that's all he's getting out of her. It's enough for him to know that his guess is right, however- and it tells him what needs to be done to keep Hagiwara from succumbing even further to her symptoms.

"She needs a transfusion." He moves to do exactly that, but Uzumaki fixes her glare on him yet again with pointed ferocity.

"Take another step, and I-"

"Kaoru." A voice interjects from the doorway- Kisame doesn't so much as flinch at the new arrivals, nor does he turn toward them- he'd sensed the two women coming up the stairs even before they'd reached the landing. "Please, if he can help, let him."

Whatever the woman sees when she looks over at her wife, it's enough to give her pause. Uzumaki's eyes snap towards him again, still distrustful and cautious, but she goes back to disarming the seal with not so subtle reluctance.

"You know how to transfer Yang chakra." It's less a question and more of a statement, and she jerks her head stiffly towards her daughter. "Then get to it. I need to focus on disconnecting the leys."

The curt demand is hardly any way to ask for aid, but Kisame decides that it doesn't matter what the Uzumaki woman thinks of him. Placing Samehada back into the holster on his back, he takes measured steps towards Hagiwara and settles down just a few inches away from her as he forms a hand seal, concentrating on shaping his chakra into a short-distance siphon. Chakra transference isn't hard- but filtering a specific type of energy can be tedious, and there's always the possibility of the recipient's system rejecting the transfer, too. Thankfully, no such complications arise as his chakra cloak envelops and flows into Hagiwara, whose coils readily accept the input of Yang energy that she so obviously needs. The effects are almost immediate- her pulse slows into something less fluttery and frantic, and she doesn't shiver quite so hard as her body temperature begins to rise again.

Kisame will never admit to it, but he feels something akin to relief when he hears her heartbeat stabilising.

In the peripheral of his vision, he absently notes the older woman from before crouching before the unconscious boy, checking his vitals with an expert touch despite her lack of sight. He might have no clue who these people are, or what they mean to the Onami's family- but he'd be blind to ignore the obvious tells of what went down here. The seal on the boy is fresh, some parts of it still turning from red to black as it settles into his skin, and while he knows jack about fuuinjutsu, he recognises the main pattern from Hagiwara's notes. He'd been the target of the sealing ritual, then- and it's no coincidence that Hagiwara has been hurt twice while she's been here.

Whatever had instigated the need to plant that seal on the kid in the first place had been the reason for Hagiwara's injuries. A goddamn _kid_ had been the one to do this.

Kisame doesn't get to linger upon that when his attention is abruptly drawn back to Hagiwara as she flinches- right as Uzumaki cuts off another line from the seal. There's another fluctuation of Yin chakra in the surrounding air as it's forced out of her tenketsu, and Samehada soaks it all up with an almost greedy fervour, nullifying any sensory distortion it might have had on him. The ensuing reaction is much the same as before- Samehada starts humming, scales fluttering as Hagiwara's chakra washes over it, and for a moment Kisame swears he feels it trying to creep up over his shoulder and _towards her._

He very nearly breaks his focus to reach up and stop it from moving, but to his surprise Samehada settles down on its own. Even more unexpectedly, he feels the sword relaying some of its own reserves back to him, feeding the Chakra Transfer and amplifying its efficacy- Samehada's _helping_ to keep Hagiwara stable, and he has no idea what to make of it. The sword's reaction is not lost on Uzumaki, who shoots him a brief glance laden with suspicion, but she doesn't once pause in her dismantling of the seal. Another three brush strokes later, and Hagiwara flinches again- but this time, it's more subdued. Her hand droops slightly, her lids fluttering as she squints against the blood falling into her eyes, and Kisame finds himself snapping at her before he can think twice.

"Don't. You’re staying awake, got it?" In yet another moment of surprise, that seems to get Hagiwara's attention, and her gaze seems to zero in on his even through the haze of incoherence. She looks _right at him,_ and in that second, her eyes are completely unclouded.

" _Saït_ ," she whispers. He hears Uzumaki inhale a bit too sharply at that, feels her gaze train on him with an even greater intensity than before, but again he doesn't look away from Hagiwara. Whatever she said, it clearly means something important, but he stows it away to ask on another day. Right now, his only job is to keep Hagiwara stable while her mom does whatever she has to to keep her alive- and so he turns to meet Uzumaki's glare head on with his own.

"Is it done?" He asks, this time with the same curt edge as she'd addressed him before. Uzumaki merely lowers her eyes back to the seal, glances back at her daughter, before she finally brings her brush back to her forearm. With one clean swipe, she cuts off what looks to be the final branch, provoking a harsh, gasping cry from Hagiwara as she doubles over, pulling her hand back with a rough jerk as she cradles it close to her chest. Despite the obvious discomfort on her daughter's end, Uzumaki appears satisfied with her work, and Kisame takes that as a sign that he can drop the chakra transfer. Uzumaki wastes no time in rolling up the sleeve of her shirt- there’s shinobi grade mesh underneath, he notes, she'd been ready for some sort of struggle- before guiding Hagiwara to look up with gentle hands, and he has a feeling he knows what's coming next.

"Here, Natsu." She extends her arm and brings it close to Hagiwara's face, and she seems grounded enough to comprehend the request. Opening her mouth, Hagiwara then sinks her teeth into her skin, and Kisame quietly sympathises with the hiss that comes from the Onami standing behind him when Hagiwara starts pulling on Uzumaki’s healing chakra. He remembers how unpleasant the secondhand sensation of this jutsu was, and he isn't keen on having it happen again.

The stark blue impression of Uzumaki's coils begin to spread from her arm, crawling up her neck and face like a glowing web slowly being spun by an unforeseen force- the same way Hagiwara's had the first time she'd used the jutsu. He'll give the woman credit for her composure, she barely even looks like she's in pain, focused as she is on watching and making sure the wound in Hagiwara's head closes up. It's with morbid fascination that Kisame watches the healing take place- torn skin and tissue mending itself right before his very eyes, the bloodied gash in her scalp closing seamlessly with nothing but the drying blood in her hair as the only indication that it was ever there in the first place.

Kisame only knows the bare theories of medical ninjutsu, but it's enough for him to know healing of this level is almost unheard of. Not even Kiri's best medics could achieve in hours what this woman just did in seconds.

"That's enough." Uzumaki's voice is strained as she urges her daughter to cease, and Hagiwara lets go without any fuss. Almost immediately, her head lolls back against the wall, slow, deep breaths marking her slow descent into unconsciousness, and the older woman quickly checks her pulse to ensure she’s stable.

Behind him, the Onami walks forward, each step she makes ringing loud and clear to his heightened senses. Now that the coast is clear, Kisame turns to watch her approach, noting the purposeful way she walks even as her face expresses all the motherly concern he'd expected to see.

"They're both alright, then?" When both Uzumaki and the older woman give their affirmations, she releases a steadying breath, before her expression gains a more steely edge. "Alright then. Can you two take Natsuki and Juugo-kun to the hospital- just in case either of you missed anything?"

"Aya?" Uzumaki's tone is laden with confusion, but Ayano Hagiwara isn't looking at her. Instead, she's looking right at _him._

"Shinobi-san." The Onami remains neutral, yet oddly polite in both expression and inflection as she says with utter calm, "I believe there are matters we need to discuss in the meanwhile."

"Are you certain, Hagiwara-sama?" The sensor asks before Kisame can respond, alarm and worry obvious in her tone. Even Uzumaki looks stunned, but all the Onami does is smile in response.

"Don't worry about me. Go see that they're both alright."

"I'm staying with you." Uzumaki says immediately, but her wife only looks at her with a stern, yet understanding gaze.

"I can handle this, Kaoru. You need to help sort things out at the hospital for Juugo-kun, too." Before Uzumaki can protest, the Onami's eyes flicker towards her daughter, and her lips form a hard line as she says, "Nacchan needs you, too. Go, please."

The conflict written all across Uzumaki's face almost makes Kisame feel sorry for her, but he isn't about to interrupt an obviously personal interaction- and he isn't about to protest against Hagiwara getting further medical aid.

Ultimately, it seems like the Onami's words seem to strike true enough to change Uzumaki's mind, and so she turns away to focus her attention back on her daughter. The kunoichi- because that is what she must be, there's no way this woman is anything but- rearranges Hagiwara so that she's able to lift her into her arms, but Kisame notices the slight wobble in her legs as she stands and the strain in her arms. Looks like the jutsu is just as draining on her as it had been on his soulmate the last time, too.

"Follow me, Mitsuha-san." The sensor- Mitsuha, so that's her name- nods once, clearly less hesitant than Uzumaki had been, and the two women disappear out the door in a burst of chakra-enhanced speed that Kisame's fairly certain will freak out some of the other civilians if they run into any. The hour is late, however, so the chances of that are fairly low. In mere seconds, it's just him and the Onami standing in the scene of the incident, with neither soulmate nor any of the other combat-capable people in the area who could have possibly stood a chance against him.

A nuke-nin and the leader of a country. Not a combination that's turned out well for most, as far as he knows. He has to wonder if they were really foolish enough to leave Ayano Hagiwara defenceless here alone with him, or if there's something about this woman that he's missing. He also hasn't felt any backlash from any of the seals he knows are running through these walls, and it's left him on edge enough that he hesitates to make a run for it.

He's alone and more clueless than he would like to be in unfamiliar territory. The consequences of his actions are finally starting to set in.

"So then, shinobi-san." The Onami smiles at him then, saccharine yet not quite genuine, and she looks so much like Hagiwara in that instant that it's nearly startling. She gestures towards the door, adding, "Let us return to the main hall. Would you like a drink?"

It's alarming just how perfectly she falls into the role of a perfect hostess, and yet manages to inject enough confidence into her speech to throw him off. There's something _more_ to this woman- tempered cunning and intelligence that speak of experience that far exceeds his understanding. Ayano Hagiwara has been Onami for nearly three decades, and even now, outside her formal attire and office, she wears it like armour that fits almost too well. If there is any fear she holds towards him- as she should- he can't see it.

While regret is the last thing he feels right now, Kisame he can't help but think- he really, _really_ should have reconsidered the consequences of breaking that window.

* * *

 

He's getting a really ironic sense of deja vu right now. Here he is, once again seated at a dining table with a cup of water in front of him, and all the while Ayano Hagiwara is contentedly sipping on her own drink- though this time the table is much bigger, and the woman in front of him isn't really as calm as Hagiwara had been when she'd invited him into her home for the first time. He'll give the Onami this, though- she is the epitome of composure, even though the slight tension in her hands belies the stress she hides under her otherwise seamless facade. He isn't keen on starting the conversation himself, however, so he merely waits for her to finish her drink- chrysanthemum tea; he can smell it from here- in peace.

"You could have knocked on the door, shinobi-san. Was breaking my window really necessary?"

The statement- presented with such casual inflection he could almost believe it was real- makes him smirk. "I wasn't sure you'd answer if I had, Onami-sama."

"A fair predicament." The Onami sets her cup down with a slight chuckle, though when she looks up at him, there's only razor-edged sharpness in those eyes. "I wouldn't recommend that you try to escape the same way, though. The seals on the house will make it rather difficult for you to leave the way you came, for one- and it is my understanding that even if you did so, it will be much easier to find you than it would be otherwise."

That takes him by surprise, though he doesn't let himself show it. Is she implying they have a chakra-activated tracking seal active? He can't detect anything on himself, but with the likes of Hagiwara and her mom… he can't be sure what their seals can do, or how well they hide on a person. "Well, the Uzumaki clan certainly never fails to surprise me."

"I'd say you're lucky enough that the anti-intrusion seals, at least, were down for today." Like a blade in a velvet sheath, the Onami maintains her pleasant tone while delivering her subtle, threatening remarks. "I'm still a bit lost as to what your intentions were when you came in, I'm afraid. Did you sense an opportune moment to attack?"

"I only thought to check on what this was about." He taps his compass by way of explanation instead of elaborating much further. "Your daughter and I have an arrangement sorted out- her premature death would have impeded on that."

Something stormy trickles into her gaze at the implication that Hagiwara- Natsuki, he mentally corrects; he needs to figure out a way to address all these women without confusing them- has made some sort of bargain with him. Kisame can't blame her. "I see. It must be quite the deal you've worked out if you were willing to expose yourself to me. Still, some might say this-" The Onami gestures around vaguely with a twirl of her hand. "-was an overreaction."

"Just thought to make sure there hadn't been another attempt made on her life. The security on this island has proven rather dismal so far." Hagiwara narrows her eyes- the first outward reaction he's managed to get from her so far. Kisame doesn't try to hold back the twitch of his smile in response.

"It could use some work, I will confess. But I suppose this means you've been in contact with Natsuki since her return." That proves his suspicion that the Onami had been aware that Natsuki had brought back a plus-one from her brief disappearance- but it seems as though even she's unclear on the details. Ayano then leans back in her seat, seemingly regaining her composure. "And so you find yourself here, in this presumably unaccounted-for situation."

A pause in the conversation- a very deliberate one, as the Onami's voice then loses all cordial pleasance. "You've put me in quite the bind, shinobi-san. I'd have much rather been unaware of your identity until it was absolutely necessary."

The woman's countenance is like that of chiselled stone- unmoving, unwavering, and void of all emotion besides cold neutrality. Every word that leaves her lips is stated as a fact with no room for argument, like each syllable is being inscripted into law as she speaks. Kisame finds himself recalling the look on Hagiwara's face when he'd challenged her integrity as leader, and wonders if the fire in her eyes will someday be honed into the same scalding chips of ice that he sees in her mother's.

"You are a defector. That puts your head on the bounty list for what I'll assume is a hefty price- not to mention that your obvious features will make any attempts at blending in as you are, impossible. My daughter's standing was affected only slightly after she openly admitted to her training- but to be bound to a shinobi is going to cause far more uproar than that." A fleeting glimmer of emotion in those eyes- so much like Natsuki's it's astounding. Kisame has a gut feeling the Onami is speaking from experience here. "Your association with my daughter, should it become public information, will inevitably connect her with your reputation- and our relationship with Water already leaves much to be desired. As Onami, it is my duty to see to it that such a predicament does not come to pass, for the sake of my country and my successor."

Ayano's hands curl into fists, her eyes briefly closing as she takes a breath- and when she opens them again, the severe bearing of unmerciful judgement is gone. In its place is something more world-weary, and almost dejected.

"But as a parent," She says, and her voice is so much softer, so laden with genuine care than it had been before that she seems like an altogether different person. "I cannot ignore the fact that you are Natsuki's soulmate. And I would not seek to sever that bond without her compliance." The Onami’s eyes drift away from his for the first time, and Kisame feels a line of tension that he hadn't noticed before dissipating off his posture. "You made sure she came home safely. For that alone, I owe you more than I could ever repay."

The gratitude is unexpected, and Kisame isn't sure if he's earned it. Stiffly, he replies, "I only guided her back. It was barely anything noteworthy."

Ayano stares at him, observing him in silence for a moment, before she says, "You found her before anyone else could. That alone is reason enough to thank you."

He's not sure what that's supposed to mean, but before he can ask, the Onami asks him a question. "Do you intend on staying here, shinobi-san? I don't presume you have elsewhere to go?"

"Only until Hagiwara-san fulfils her end of our bargain." After that, he isn't really certain. Not anymore.

Satisfaction- or perhaps relief- fleetingly passes over her face, but the Onami merely leans forth with a courteous smile that immediately has him on edge. "In that case, let's discuss how you may proceed with your presence here. Perhaps there is something I may suggest that might convince you to extend your stay."

Despite the solemnity in her voice, Ayano Hagiwara picks up her cup and takes a long sip, the action so casual and unbothered that anyone would think they were talking about the weather, or something equally trivial and pleasant. When she glances at him again, however, her face once again bears that stone cold countenance, only this time, it's more purposeful. "I won't beat around the bush, shinobi-san. I wish to hire you for a long-term mission. Would you be willing to accept it?"

Kisame nearly laughs at the incredulity of it all- and perhaps the irony. There was nothing his soulmate wanted from him, but it would seem her mother has no such qualms. The smile on his face is perhaps too sardonic to be genuine, but he doesn't care.

In the end, he's still a ninja, after all.

"That depends on the context- and the reward, of course."

"With all due respect, shinobi-san." A wry smile crosses her face, and the reflection of his words towards her is not lost on him. "If those are your only terms, I think you'll find my offer hard to refuse."

Kisame comes to two conclusions in that moment. The first, is that despite his preconceptions on most rulers, the Onami isn't quite as cold, or as unbearable as he'd expected. However, she's certainly made of indomitable steel, unwilling to quiver against the threats that come her way, shrewd enough to be worthy of her position- and he has to respect those traits.

Secondly- he can't help but wonder what Natsuki's going to say about this mess when she comes to.

With that, Kisame leans back in his seat opposite the most powerful individual in all of Waves, and he listens to what she has to offer.

* * *

 

He really hadn't expected Natsuki to faint the moment she saw him again. In hindsight, however, he should have considered just how jarring the whole situation must have seemed, and on top of the fact that she just recovered from a concussion, he probably should have expected it, even. While he'd wanted to startle her, her reaction had only served to surprise him in turn- and had earned him yet another glare from Kaoru Uzumaki. Not that she wouldn't have done so even if he hadn't said anything.

Ayano had been gracious enough to ease the tension in the room by speaking as though nothing had happened, and to Natsuki's credit, she'd woken up barely minutes after, and this time stayed awake while she openly gawked at him. It felt twice as awkward as when she'd stared at him the first time they'd met- and strangely enough, she'd looked more disturbed than she had been back the. He'd expected her to be more receptive to this noticeably conventional take on his appearance, same as the last transformation he'd donned, but… maybe she thought this face didn't suit him either.

Kisame absently scratches his cheek, his fingers brushing the ridges of his gills beneath the illusion of the transformation jutsu. His new face is, by all means, 'normal' as far as he's concerned, and he'd taken care to morph his features such that they would keep most of his facial structure- hell, he'd even kept his hairstyle. It's as close as he can get to maintaining his original look without being too obvious, and as much as he hates this pretence, he'd thought he'd done a fair job with this appearance. Doesn't matter if Natsuki thinks it fits or not- this is about as good as it's going to get.

It isn't like he _wants_ to wear it, anyway. Sitting on the floor of his hotel room, Kisame tugs a bit too tightly on the bandages he's using to rebind Samehada, causing a slight tear in the fabric as it catches on one of its scales. He clicks his tongue in annoyance, but continues onwards anyways- this is the most tedious part of maintenance, but it gives him something to do, at least. Better than just pacing his room waiting for the Onami to call upon him again.

Natsuki had only been given a brief, heavily-censored summary of events in her hospital room, and when the doctor had come in to check on her, he'd left without being noticed- no reason to stay and cause more of a stir, after all. He'd give it perhaps another day or two for Ayano to sort out all the necessary paperwork and explain everything to Natsuki before his new assignment would kick off, and until then, he just had to stay put and wait.

He's just trying not to think too hard about all of this, about having to don a stranger's face, falsifying his name and pretending to be nearly everything he's not. Trying not to wonder if there had been any point to all of this- defecting, running, _searching_ \- if he's only going to end up living yet another lie. At least in Kiri, ostracised or not, he'd been able to wear his own skin.

Just then, there's a knock from the other side of the door. Kisame stills as his gaze is drawn to the entrance, but he makes no move to get up.

"Kouhai, it’s me. May I come in?"

For a moment, he thinks this is a set-up; that someone's trying to surprise him by feigning Natsuki's voice- there's no way she's out of the hospital already, he'd only just seen her this morning. Why would she even come here to begin with? But then Samehada starts chittering and _completely messing up the work he's done_ by flapping its scales excitedly at the signature behind the door, and that's not a reaction anyone else could possibly invoke. With a grunt, Kisame puts aside the sword and rises to his feet, trying not to feel too aggravated by Samehada's reaction. The sentient sword usually behaves well enough, but where Natsuki's concerned… well, he hasn't seen the sword react so positively to anyone since the day Fuguki had introduced it to him. Not even Mangetsu had received such an enthusiastic response.

He still has no idea what that means for him, or for Natsuki- and frankly, he isn’t sure if he’ll like the answer.

A quick glance through the peephole reveals black hair and fair skin- neither of which are traits that belong to Natsuki. However, the eyes are unmistakable for anyone else's- a transformation jutsu, then- and so he opens the door for her with little fuss. Natsuki steps into the room without needing any further prompting, and when he shuts the door behind her, he notices her freeze at the sight of the exposed sword against the wall.

"I don't think I've ever seen it uncovered before," she murmurs absently, and Kisame can't help but snort.

"You did two days ago- you just don't remember after your blackout." Speaking of which, he adds, "I thought you'd still be in the hospital. The doctor already cleared you for release?"

"Doctor Hasegawa wanted to keep me for another day just to be sure. I just managed to make enough of a fuss to change her mind." Natsuki sighs, clearly not fond of recalling that situation, and casts cursory glance around the room. Confirming that the windows are closed and that the coast is subsequently clear, she relaxes a little bit more and forms a hand seal, dispersing the transformation she's cloaked herself in. Ebon strands give way to crimson, the paleness of her skin reverts back to its deep umber tones, and the shadows beneath her eyes are visible again, but she doesn't look quite as gaunt as she did when she'd first woken up in that hospital bed. Kisame assumes that means she's back at full health- and in that same moment, he forcefully decides that feeling of lightness in his chest is just his imagination.

Folding his arms, he lifts an eyebrow at Natsuki as he asks, "So, you decided this would be the first place you'd visit?"

"After everything that's happened, where else would I go?"

"The kid you put a seal on might have appreciated a visit,” he points out, and Hagiwara visibly pauses at that, blinking as though the thought never even occurred to her. The noticeable show of hesitation is enough evidence that she isn’t entirely recovered from the ordeal- she’s never been this obvious and easy to read.

"That can wait until later,” Hagiwara replies with utmost calm- as if she hadn’t been stunned just a second ago. Another glance around, and she reaches into her back pocket to withdraw a palm-sized sheet of paper- it would have been inconspicuous enough if it didn’t have sealing lines written all over it. The character for ‘Sound’ in the centre of the seal makes it obvious just what its purpose is, but he’s never seen a soundproofing seal in such a… compact form before. They're usually in large sheets, with sprawling seals meant to cover entire walls.

“May I?”  
  
“Chakra barrier’s up.” He had to employ one to make sure no one would be able to sense Samehada or himself- not like that's managed to deter his soulmate in any way.

“It won’t interfere," she reassures, so he just shrugs and lets her do what she has to. Natsuki then walks back towards the door, holding the seal against the wooden surface with just two fingers against the centre of the calligraphic design. Upon activation, the letters of ink spread out and elongate in a spiralling motion across the door, spreading over the walls and covering the whole entranceway. The entire pattern flares blue before the trails fade into obscurity, leaving only a blank sheet of paper that remains stuck to the surface- if he hadn't witnessed it for himself, Kisame wouldn't have guessed that there was anything special about the doorway at all.

He's never seen any of Kiri’s seals work quite like that before- and he has to admit, he's impressed.

"Must be something serious for you to put up a silencing barrier,” he quips, and Natsuki shoots him a composed, yet pointed look.

"Well, yes, I'd say that a strictly confidential agreement made between you and my mother counts as something serious."

Ah, so they've explained things properly to her. “Do your parents know you’re here?”  
  
“Doesn’t matter.” Natsuki answers shortly, lips briefly pressing into a firm line. Ouch- looks like _someone’s_ had a disagreement. “Either way, we need to talk, Hoshigaki-san.”

Her words carry the same intonation that her mother's had when asking him to sit, and the parallel brings a wry smirk to his face. Apples and trees and what have you. "You can skip the interrogation. The Onami already beat you to it."

"So I’ve heard." Natsuki glances around again, and something like guilt seems to enter her stony expression. "I'm sorry. You ended up in this situation because I got careless.”

He doesn't get what she's apologising for, any more than he understood why she'd thanked him back then- but he doesn't get to think on it for very long. Natsuki straightens up all of a sudden, determination returning to her gaze and overshadowing the doubt as she says, "Let me get straight to the point. I want to know what you and my mother discussed."

That raises his eyebrows. "She didn't explain it to you?”

"I want to make sure what Okaa-sama told me is the truth." Double ouch. The distrust speaks levels of the kind of discussion she must have had with her parents. Natsuki folds her arms over her chest, leaning against the wall with feigned informality as she asks, "Did you really agree to this, Hoshigaki-san? Or are you only complying because you're being held to ransom?"

"Ransom?" He can’t help but start at the suggestion, caught between amusement and surprise. Something about the smile he wears seems to throw Natsuki off as well, if the mild confusion on her face is any indication.

"From what I understand, Okaa-sama bargained your service in exchange for not exposing your movements to the nearest Hidden Village."

“It’s an easy job for hefty pay to begin with- why would I have rejected the offer?”

“You might have seen Konoha on your tail within the hour if you had.”

Well, the Onami hadn’t said that _outright-_ but he’d suspected she’d had such intentions anyway. Kisame feels his smile turn into something sharper, more deliberate as he replies, "That hardly constitutes a threat. Konoha wouldn't have a lead if the only ones who know of me don't get the chance to tell them."

 _That's_ a threat, and Natsuki catches on to it instantly, eyes narrowing and feet shifting with slight discomfort. Slowly, she hedges, "Then why did you agree to becoming my personal bodyguard?"

"It's as I said- the money’s good." He might have other reasons- but they’re irrelevant to whatever she needs to know. "But make no mistake- I can still leave whenever I want to. If this deal doesn't work out, I won't stay for very long."

Natsuki looks at him for a long time, as if trying to discern something from his expression, but Kisame knows she won’t find whatever she’s searching for. Instead of just leaving it there, however, she presents another question.

"What did Okaa-sama say about why this was necessary, exactly?”

The way she asks that question, intentionally quiet and slow, says more about her than she might have intended. There are a number of details Ayano Hagiwara had disclosed to him about the current situation in Waves, some of which drew particular attention, but he has a feeling none of them suit the answer she's looking for. Natsuki's looking for a specific answer, trying to find out if her mother has kept something from her, and it’s apparently important enough that she isn’t asking it outright, instead skirting around the actual topic and giving him enough thread to find the way out of this maze himself.

She knows something. Whether or not the Onami does, and had informed him of it- that's the real question here.

"Beyond the fact that you've made interesting enough enemies to warrant such drastic measures? Nothing much." Kisame replies casually, ensuring that he doesn’t give away too much on his own part. To give her credit, Natsuki doesn’t outright express any form of displeasure with his response- instead, she just plays along.

"Such as?”

"The usual. Displeased officials, other ninja who might be looking for an easy target.” Once again, no reaction- so he tries for something a little less vague. “Possibly even the kind that grows on trees."

A slight catch in her breath- so short and so quiet that he might have missed it, if he were anyone else. The not-so-subtle allusion to Fire Country’s military village isn’t lost on her, but Natsuki plays it cool. “Is that a suspicion, or a fact?”

“She didn’t say- though Fire Country isn’t known for being particularly kind to anyone that acts outside their interests.”

Wind Country is a perfect example of just how malicious the largest of the Elemental Nations could be. Bad enough that they’d thoroughly decimated their forces when Wind had tried to reclaim sustainable land during the war- even now, it’s no secret that Sunagakure is losing jobs to Konoha, and not only are the Daimyo silent on the matter, rumour has it that the Land of Fire’s officials are even _encouraging_ them. They'd buried Wind Country, and they’re still helping to bury it now- and if that's what Fire does to its neighbours, there's no telling how they'd treat their lesser allies.

Natsuki tilts her head with an almost animalistic quirk, still studying him with eyes that are too sharp to make him feel entirely confident in his ability to feign ignorance. She seems to be deliberating something, eyes darting around with an almost paranoid gleam, and when she does speak again- even softer, more _afraid-_ Kisame has to admit, it throws him off. “Did Okaa-sama mention the threats that grow beneath the trees, as well?"

If he were anyone else, that cryptic statement might not have made any sense. But Kisame has been involved in too many covert operations- assassinations, interrogations, blackmail- to not know of the other major players in the shadows of the Elemental Nations.

"You're talking about Root."

Natsuki remains silent, neither denying nor affirming his statement. He doesn't need a confirmation to know he's right- but this in and of itself raises more questions. ANBU units were taboo enough to be spoken about within all villages as it is, and Konoha's Root is hidden beneath a whole other layer of secrecy. He only knows they exist because he's from _Kiri_ , and even then the unit was covert enough that they had no idea exactly what Konoha's black ops had done, or were up to.

If Natsuki's never stepped foot outside her home before, how did she come to know about them?

"What would they ever want to target you for?"

Natsuki shakes her head. "I can't say for sure. But did my mother affirm this, or not?"

As much as he wants to ask his own questions in turn, Kisame refrains. He isn't sure getting those answers would be to his benefit, anyway. "If she knew anything of them, then she certainly didn't say so."

There's a slight loosening of her posture. Relief flashing in her eyes, before they’re back to hard, unreadable panels. “I see. Then that’s good.”

Natsuki falls silent after that, but the stillness is weighted with uncertainty. Another deliberation seems to weigh on her mind as she stares at the ground, obviously contemplative, and Kisame doesn’t interrupt. He feels like he’s being made privy to something heavier than even a secret deal between him and the leader of Waves, and honestly, he isn’t particularly thrilled.

He is, however, reluctantly curious.

“I've been keeping something from you, Hoshigaki-san.”

“Oh?” That’s quite the admission. Natsuki nods, and though he’s not surprised at the notion of her lying to him, he certainly hadn’t expected a confession. She presses her fingers together, taking a steadying breath before finally looking back at him and explaining herself.

“When I was kidnapped, my assailants seemed to have a clear goal in mind. I overheard that they were intent on sending me to Orochimaru, and potentially performing recon in the process." There's a slight pause there, deliberate, searching- though what for, he can't tell. He's more astounded by the fact that one civilian has managed to attract the attention of _two_ of the three Sannin. "I don’t know why that was- only that they were doing it at someone else’s behest. Someone who would have killed them if they didn’t go through with it.”

The unspoken suggestion draws his attention immediately- that whoever had sent those shinobi has power that rivals even Orochimaru. With narrowed eyes, he asks, “And you think Konoha's black ops had something to do with it?”

There's another gleam of paranoia, ill-concealed in the way her eyes dart around the room again, as though she expects someone to materialise and silence her before she can speak. The obvious sign of fear, so potent he can nearly smell it on her, unsettles him- perhaps more than it should. “I have a suspicion, but I don’t have evidence.”

“And yet you still have some reason to believe you’re right.”

Hesitantly, Natsuki nods. He's never seen more uncertainty on her face than he does in that moment, and… it isn't pleasant. "If, however, I _am_ right, then that puts you at risk even through mere association with me. Knowing this, do you still intend on accepting this assignment?"

"And if I say no?"

"Then I'll buy you time to disappear." He can see the muscles on her forearms straining as she curls her arms a little tighter around herself- tense, _worried_. "It's not a guarantee that my mother won't send Konoha an alert, but it's cleaner than killing everyone who knows."

That's when the other facet of this conversation hits him- the less obvious risk and potential outcome that could have arisen. Natsuki's taken a gamble, telling him all of this even after the threat that he'd be willing to leave a blood trail to get out of this deal. He could kill her right now, and go after her family if he wanted to, just to save himself the trouble.

But she'd told him anyway. Because- what? She thought he'd run at the first sign of danger? Because she'd decided that dealing with whatever anonymous threat alone was better than having a missing-nin hanging around, bodyguard or no? Hell, maybe she's making this whole thing up to try and make him leave of his own accord.

The notion is hilarious. He'd hate to play into such plans blindly.

"I'd wondered why I was being offered so much for such a simple task," he muses aloud, recalling the discussion he'd had with the leader of Waves. "Turns out it's to compensate for all these big secrets that even the Onami knows you've been hiding, Hagiwara-san."

"It's for the better," is her dismal reply. So either she's still playing along with her story, or she actually _is_ just that big of a self-sacrificing fool. He wouldn't put it past her- not after she'd nearly died for a kid that's not even hers by blood.

"Good thing that's not something for you to decide, then."

Disbelief leaks into Natsuki's expression. "You're still taking up this assignment, then?"

"Would you rather I didn't?" He shoots back, but the sarcasm dissipates as his next words fall from his lips. "Whoever your enemies are, they've already made their move, Hagiwara-san. Do you intend on leaving yourself open to their next attack, or are you going to be prepared for the next one?"

Her lips thin, and she makes a face that tells him just what she thinks of that statement. "I don't want to just use you as a shield against all of this."

That's the first time he's ever heard that from a client before. Ninja were supposed to be tools to help further a goal- that's just how they were taught to think. "It sounds like you don't really have any other choice."

"You could get yourself killed doing this."

He snorts. "That isn't anything new."

Another long, searching stare- this time, however, Natsuki seems genuinely at a loss. When she speaks, it's in a voice that is both soft and a little sad. "I don’t get it. All this... just for money?"

"What else would it be for?" He replies coolly. If she expects a deeper explanation, she won't get one- Natsuki's not the only one who keeps her cards close to her chest. His response doesn’t seem to satisfy her, but ultimately, she chooses not to say anything. Natsuki's gaze falls downwards in the silence that follows, both thoughtfulness and dismay warring on her face in an obvious moment of vulnerability, and whatever conclusion she comes to, it doesn’t erase the lingering sadness on her face when she meets his eye again.

"I'm sorry,” Natsuki says- and again, he isn't any closer to understanding what she's sorry for any more than he was earlier. She pushes her hair behind her ear, obviously nervous as she hesitantly continues, "Thank you for explaining things. I… I just hope this really is worthwhile, Hoshigaki-san." She starts suddenly, one hand coming up to cover her lips as though she said something she shouldn't have. "Oh! That's… actually, what should I call you now?"

Ah, right. He's not supposed to be Kisame Hoshigaki while he's on this assignment- his clan name is too much of a giveaway. So instead, he'd decided on one of the most common surnames from Water to tack on to his given name. "Matsumoto will do."

"...Matsumoto. _Kisame_ Matsumoto?" The look on her face can only be described as bewildered, like she isn't sure if he's joking or not. He merely grins back in response- the way foreigners hesitate when repeating traditional Water Country names has always been a little funny to him. Not everyone could be born with pretty, delicate Continental names about flowers and seasons- in his homeland people were named after forces of nature; the phases of the moon and old trees and beasts of myth.

"Thought I was lying about it being a common name?"

Natsuki opens her mouth as though to respond, but then seems to think better of it and shuts it again. Kisame's grin only widens at the obvious sign of resignation- looks like there are only so many surprises that even she can handle in a day- before it falters just as quickly when Natsuki suddenly sports a slight smirk of her own.

"I guess this means we're back to calling you 'kouhai', then? It’ll be less confusing for me that way."

The grimace that crosses his face is nearly instantaneous, and he almost retorts in annoyance before a thought occurs to him. He still has no idea what exactly she'd called him on the night of that sealing ritual, but he remembers how she'd said it. Maybe... "I think I liked it better when you called me _saït._ "

There's no other word for it- Natsuki turns _red_. Her face nearly disappears into her hairline with how suddenly and strongly she blushes, and her jaw drops almost comically as she starts spluttering. "Wha- what?! I have _never-_ where did you hear that from?"

Kisame has to say, he hadn't seen that coming. It's actually hilarious despite the surprise, though. "The night the kid knocked you out. Your mom didn't seem very happy about it."

"Oh, sweet Shinigami, she _heard_ that?" Natsuki actually looks almost faint at the notion, and that only further fuels his curiosity. Just how bad could one word be?

"I'm guessing it's not just your usual friendly address?" Natsuki's brilliant flush only intensifies at his casual inquiry, and he swears she’s about to black out again when she replies in a bare whisper.

"It's actually… quite a bit more intimate than that." She swallows hard, not even able to look him in the eye anymore. "A _lot_ more intimate, actually."

...Ah. Well then. Kisame clears his throat, seemingly unaffected despite how dry his mouth suddenly feels, but he merely nods and says, "I see."

Awkwardness permeates the air in the ensuing silence, so thick he can taste it on his tongue with each inhale. Natsuki's still not looking at him, instead having decided there’s something very interesting in the tatami by her feet, and even he has no idea what to say to clear the air. Logically, it's stupid to be thrown by something she'd accidentally spat out in the midst of delirium, but Natsuki's own nervous reaction only fuels his hesitation. To claim intimacy through that endearment implies enough on its own- but the exact extent of what that construes… he can only guess without knowing its meaning for certain.

Like hell he's going to ask what it translates to, though.

"Is, ah… your sword okay?"

For a moment he has absolutely no idea what she means. But then he notices her staring past him, and he follows her line of sight to see that Samehada is acting up again. The scales are bristling again, but surprisingly it’s keeping its mouth shut- instead, there’s only a low hum coming from the sword instead of the earlier chitters. He’s been with Samehada long enough to understand what that means, and so he places his hand on the hilt in a seemingly nonchalant gesture that’s actually meant to keep the sword at bay. Just in case, of course.

"Samehada gave you some of its chakra the other night." He has no qualms about using its name aloud- not when Natsuki's bound to find out sooner or later. "Looks like it expects you to return the favour."

"Oh. So… it wants my chakra?" She looks increasingly nervous at that, but there's a note of curiosity on her face that nearly overshadows that anxiety. It's too soon to tell if she's fully recovered just yet, however- and with Samehada's irregular appetite some days, he isn't keen on finding out just how many times Natsuki's able to pass out in a week.

"Another day. Wouldn't do to knock you out again so soon after you woke up."

Despite the dry statement, Natsuki scoffs- though her lips seem to be twitching against the urge to smile. "I see. Is it always this hungry?”  
  
“Only when it finds something interesting.” He doesn't need to say anything more for her to understand his implication.

“You should have told me. I’d have made more dinner for your sword, too.” Another startled gleam in her eye, and suddenly, Natsuki's voice loses its earlier surety as she asks, “I, ah, don't suppose you're stopping by tonight?"

Kisame stares, disbelieving. "You want to continue that?" Even after their whole charade is up?

"Unless you want to stop, I don’t see why not," she replies, only barely able to hold his gaze before she looks away nervously. Clearly, his own hesitation is shared here- but he can't tell why that is. Is she asking out of courtesy, or is she genuinely just curious?

Either way, Kisame doesn't want to say no to her offer. He isn't about to say yes either, though- so instead, he replies with the usual snark he's comfortable with. "As long as you don't knock yourself unconscious with anything."

That makes Hagiwara pull a face, though he doesn't miss the smile on her lips as she leans her head against the wall. "Of course. I'd hate to trouble you again like that, _Matsumoto-san_."

Despite himself, Kisame smiles. He doesn't quite understand how she's able to keep up such a carefree attitude, even with everything that's happening, but he can almost forget just how much she's apparently involved in when she speaks like this.

"I should get going, then. It's almost dinnertime, anyway," Natsuki observes- he'd almost forgotten that it was evening until she said that. As she pushes herself off the wall, Kisame doesn't miss the slight stumble in her step- and once more, he realises just how out of it she still is, even with her pretenses. Suddenly his comment about knocking herself out cold seems like less of a joke than he had intended- and so he speaks up before he can think twice.

"Actually, that restaurant that friend of yours owns." Natsuki peers up at him curiously at that, and he knows she'll understand what he's talking about. "I'd heard he's got an interesting dish made with milk."

"You mean the fish head noodles? That's the Furihata's specialty." Natsuki speaks about it with obvious familiarity, and she perks up slightly as she once again dons her earlier transformation. "Do you want to try some? I can actually pick it up along the way back- if you don't mind store bought food tonight, that is."

"It might be worth a try." Kisame shrugs as he opens the door for her. He won't say he's had it before, or that it _had_ been pretty good.

"I get extra fish for being a friend, so you're in luck." Natsuki grins at him as she passes by, once again undeterred by the brief moment of proximity. Starkly different from the solemn expression she'd worn when she'd first entered the room. "Well, I'll see you around, kouhai."

Natsuki shoots him one last wave, and then she pulls the door shut behind her with a click. For a fleeting moment, as Samehada starts whining mournfully for the potential meal that had just left the vicinity, Kisame is struck- not for the first time- by the sudden absence of company in this foreign place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How things actually went down- all of the above
> 
> How Natsuki thinks things went down-  
> Kaoru: are you seeing a shinobi  
> Natsuki: what no  
> Kaoru: what do bees make  
> Natsuki: honey?  
> Kisame: yea what  
> Kaoru: don't ever lie to my face again
> 
> Anyway this chapter came out a wee bit quicker than expected because i saw aerith's face and tifa's redesign and also dry ganon and i cried so hard with sheer joy it gave me the power to write this. All other reincarnations of ganondorf from here on will now be called wet ganon and i think that's beautiful


	11. Rumblings

As a child, Mei Terumi was an achiever, excelling at everything she put her effort into. Even more than that, she was a dreamer, driven by ambition and chasing goals people always said she would not reach just for the satisfaction of throwing their words back in their faces.

Her dreams of becoming Mizukage had started early on in her youth- because, well, why not? It would be the greatest honour, to be acknowledged as the strongest shinobi of her entire village. No other accomplishment would best it- she would be hailed as a queen, and everyone's eyes would turn towards her with rapture instead of disgust. The people who once spat upon her existence because of her blood and power would grovel and plead for forgiveness, and she could turn away from them just as they had turned away from her. On top of being her greatest achievement, it would be the ultimate revenge- for her, and for every other kid who grew up in Kiri like her.

That dream had never truly settled into something quite so solid until the day she stepped foot in the arena for her Academy’s graduation exam. If she closes her eyes, she can still remember the screams, the absolute chaos in that bloodied amphitheatre as she and countless other children tore each other apart for a chance at survival. She remembers the faces of the onlookers- from the founding clan members and their children who watched the proceedings they’d escaped like it was all a performance for their entertainment, to the ANBU operatives and other jounin evaluating each fighter with calculative eyes as they sought fresh blood for their ranks. Above all, she remembers Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage staring down at her with eyes the colour of wilting sakura, empty and unfeeling and looking almost right through her.

Mei remembers looking into those eyes as she stood in the centre of the arena, covered in the blood of the classmates she once knew, and swearing that she would be the one to shut them forever.

She thought she'd known then what she wanted and what she had to do to get it. She carved that moment and oath into memory and let that drive her forward through all the shit they threw at her. The missions. The attempts on her life. Everything they tried to use to break her. She fought back and emerged by the skin of her teeth, always teetering close to the edge but pulling back through sheer willpower.

Her victories, even the ones in the shadows of the shinobi system drew attention, commanded the respect of those who crossed her path regardless of birth status- and in many an instance, it earned her their allegiance. For many who suffered under the yoke of Kirigakure's tyranny, they saw in her someone who could break the cycle. Someone who, despite being of blood that painted her as a villain and monster- as so many others were- could be greater than the supposedly strongest shinobi in the Land of Water.

At seventeen, Mei Terumi thought she knew it all- that she could save what she considered precious to her. And then something happened that would shake her more than it had any right to. Something that made her realise in her pursuit of the bigger picture, she'd left some of her first and only allies behind.

Thanks to Kiri's shit ninja administration system- or virtual lack thereof- it had taken two fucking weeks for them to realise Fuguki Suikazan had been missing, and to start a village-wide manhunt for him. Within the same twenty four hours of that search, they’d found the bastard’s nearly unidentifiable corpse half-eaten by rats in the sewers- and then they’d declared that Kisame Hoshigaki had gone rogue after taking Samehada with him. Mei remembers breaking into that small house on the outskirts of the Hoshigaki clan’s estate and, upon finding it empty and devoid of the bare essentials, feeling her stomach sink to her knees.

Of all the people in this village- hell, in the entire _world-_ Kisame Hoshigaki had been the last person she’d ever expected to turn traitor.

She remembers running her hand along the walls of that abandoned residence, and thinking how in all the years she's known Kisame- even the brief time they had as actual genin teammates; years of her life which she would remember with fondness despite all the horrors they'd seen- she'd never realised just how big and empty his house had become. Mei had known a time when this little hut had been filled with life, when Kisame's family had been alive and welcomed them into their home, kind and genuine despite all the ways Kiri had hardened them; one of the rare instances in her childhood that any founding clan member had treated her with kindness. She had always wondered how Kisame could stand living in this place after the war had stolen his family from him- and standing in those empty hallways, she had seen why he had left so easily. There had been nothing here for him- no one who had been there, and cared enough to make him stay.

She will never say so out loud, but Mei blames herself at least partly for his defection. She should have tried harder to stay in touch with her teammates even after their promotions took them their separate ways. Taken the initiative to really reach out to him the moment she’d seen Kisame after that disaster of a mission with the Cypher Division, said something better than what she had when she’d seen that haunted look in his eyes.

Even though Zabuza will never speak about it- he's always been more dismissive, more cynical and hardened but never completely detached- Mei wonders if he feels something similar, too. It would explain why he had been the one to go farther, to work and push harder than anyone else on the hunter team to try and find Kisame. He would say it was his duty to eliminate the traitors of their village, but Mei knows better. The Seven have always allowed their actions to speak for themselves, and in their battles- the clash of their swords and the blood they draw- she knows Kisame and Zabuza exchange entire conversations that she will never be able to comprehend.

Maybe all Zabuza wants to know is _why_ , too. Even if they already know the answer in their own different ways.

“Kept you waiting long, Terumi-senpai?"

A familiar voice lilts in the air of the otherwise silent bar, and Mei offers a smile at the young shinobi who had shown up at her booth. They've met up like this a few times between missions and planning- discreetly and rarely so, to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves, but it’s become an unspoken necessity to check up on each other ever since Kisame left. Sometimes it’s to lick each other’s wounds and to flaunt their latest achievements, other times it’s just to see with their own eyes that the other is alive and still here.  

She tries to at least do this much now. She tries harder to keep her allies closer than she keeps those would try to harm her.

“I took offence, so I ordered a round without you.” Mei gestures to the jar of sake at the table, and can't help but grin at the exaggerated pout on the Kijin no Sairai's face. “It’s been a while, Mangetsu-kun.”

“Well, we’ve both been busy.” A smirk graces her lips at the subtle insinuation there- Mangetsu’s one of the few Hozuki who’ve been gathering information and trying to garner support for the opposition. It’s a slow moving operation, but they’re all doing what they can with the rope Kiri has around their necks. Despite her earlier words, Mei slides him a cup as he settles in the seat opposite her, and he grins at her in thanks as he willingly accepts the hard liquor.

“How have things been with the Shichinin-shu?” She asks after he takes his first sip, and Mangetsu groans in reply, rubbing his head as though he was fighting a migraine just thinking about it.

“Been a real pain trying to build a viable squadron again, let me tell you. Ameyuri kicked the bucket a couple weeks back- got into a scuffle with some troops from Kumo and bit off more than she could chew, so we’re down another Inheritor.”

Mei winces- she hadn't known the wielder of the Kiba, but Ameyuri Ringo had been a fearsome warrior in her own right. “I’m sorry to hear about that."

"Well, we got the swords back, at least- and Raiga’s still going around just fine. Hasn’t exactly been all that… together, as of late though.” Mangetsu waves his hand in a loose circle, a mild grimace on his face as he recounts his ally’s current state. Mei only grimaces again- Raiga Kurosuki isn't known for being the most stable of individuals, and his morbid fascination with funerals is known even amongst the common folk. “But he’s still taking on missions. Don’t think he expects to take on another apprentice, though.”

“And Zabuza?”

That's the question she's really been meaning to ask- and from the way Mangetsu’s lip quirks slightly, he knows it.  “Haven’t seen him in months, sorry. ANBU’s either putting him to good use or he’s off chasing more dead ends.”

That makes Mei frown. “I thought he’d stopped.”

"Zabuza-senpai doesn’t know what it means to quit, I’ll give him that.” Mangetsu shrugs as he takes another drink, and Mei takes a moment to linger upon those words. She catches her bottom lip between her teeth, the only sign of worry she'll allow herself to show in this moment, and then she asks the second question she really wanted to know about.

"No leads on where he's gone on your end either, then?"

"And no closer to figuring out a motive, either."  Mangetsu shakes his head and sighs, swirling his sake cup in his hand as he leans his head back against the chair. “For all his sentiment, Hoshigaki-senpai really knew how to keep to himself.”

"...Yes. He really did."

Kisame Hoshigaki's general mannerisms had always set him apart- courteous and polite, yet ruthless and efficient as a shinobi regardless. That alone would have been fine, but anyone who had known Kisame Hoshigaki would have known about a particular habit of his that he never really learned to hide until later in life. Mei remembers how she'd catch him looking at his compass back when they'd been genin, or how he'd just absently brush his fingers over his wrist without even realising it. She didn't have a soulmate of her own to understand the novelty of it, and they'd all been taught to understand just what a  hindrance sharing a soul mark is, especially on a battlefield, but she'd always found it just a little bit fascinating. Zabuza would always sneer, thinking of his and Kisame's marks as nothing but liabilities- which had resulted in more than just a few scuffles between the two of them, the idiots- and while Mei agreed, that hadn't stopped her from being curious.

She'll never forget the night of their unit's very first encounter during the war, when she'd awoken just a bit too early for her shift on lookout duty, and had seen Kisame sitting against a tree, pressing his forehead to his wrist as though it was the only thing keeping him grounded in the silence of their thoughts. She'll never admit to the envy she'd felt then, either.

"Say, Terumi-senpai." Mangetsu's voice snaps her out of her stroll down memory lane, and she looks up to see a thoughtful look on the younger jounin's face. "This is just a guess, but..."

"But?" She prompts when Mangetsu trails off- he has a habit of doing that sometimes. Bright purple eyes meet hers from across the table, and she's surprised to see the hesitation in them before Mangetsu speaks.

"You don't think Hoshigaki-senpai would have left because of…" Mangetsu gestures towards his wrist, and Mei feels a surge of defensiveness that she can’t quite explain as she scoffs.

"Don't be ridiculous. He wouldn't be so foolish. Suikazan was found out to be a traitor, and that was the tipping point for him. He must have seen no point to continuing to serve in this farce of a village."

"So he just leaves without any goal?" Mangetsu’s tone remains sceptical, and Mei doesn’t like how much more ridiculous _that_ notion seems compared to his previous suggestion. She lowers her own cup to the table, lips pressing into a firm line as she tries to think of a less outlandish possibility.

"He's always been more of a follower than a leader. He'll wander until he finds another goal to adhere to." Even as she says it, Mei doesn’t quite believe her own suggestion. Mangetsu appears similarly unconvinced, and he makes that clear.

"And you don't think he'll maybe try to find out where his compass points to along the way?"

"Maybe he will, or he won’t- but that doesn't help us, anyway. His soulmate could be anywhere."

"Might give us something to look for, at least."

"You going to be the one to scour the globe checking every wrist you come across, then?"

The sudden input from the man that had arrived so silently at their booth makes Mei blink in startlement, her fingers already gripped around the hilt of a kunai she'd hidden in her sleeve. Even Mangetsu has his hand on Hiramekarei, prepared to attack the unexpected threat, but thankfully they stop themselves before anyone can do anything stupid. Mei stares up at the new arrival, nearly doing a double take as she recognises his face-or rather, what's visible of it beneath the mask of bandages.

"You came." She tries not to sound too relieved, but if Zabuza hears it, he makes no indication. 

"I said I would." He says it as though it's the most obvious thing in the world, and Mei can't help but smile. His exact words had been 'no guarantees' the last time she'd invited him to this annual gathering of sorts, but she isn't going to point that out. Instead, she just watches as Zabuza fixes his gaze on Mangetsu, and issues a gruff order of, "Move over."

"Is that any way to talk to your kouhai, Zabuza-senpai?" Mangetsu cocks an eyebrow and grins at him, but his cheeky expression quickly falls away as soon as Zabuza kicks his shoulder hard enough to make him liquify. "Ow, ow! Okay, okay. Geez, I'm moving."

Despite the aggression, Mei smiles at the familiarity of the interaction. She remembers a time when it had been a different boy Zabuza would be at odds with, the ultimate rivals and teammates all at once, and she feels that old pang of nostalgia that had once been dulled by years of suppression and numbing anything that did not contribute to her goal. They had only been a genin team for two years before their promotions split them apart, but Mei knows that her inaction; her compliance in allowing the distance between her and her teammates to grow so wide will be a regret she'll take to her grave.

As she watches Zabuza sit across from her, moody and asocial as she's always known him to be, Mei silently swears that she won't make the same mistake ever again.

***

It doesn't hit her just how accustomed she's become to Hoshigaki's chakra until she feels it pulsing through her veins. Natsuki's never really stopped to wonder just how her own chakra feels like to another sensor, only knowing that it's hers on a distinctly instinctual level, so when she feels the sweeping waves coursing through her coils, it's impossible for her to mistake it as something common. While it’s nearly indistinguishable from her own, mixing and flowing with her reserves until it's lost most of its original form and nature, she's so attuned to it that she can still pick it out if she concentrates hard enough.

It's... not _unpleasant_. But it does give her the answer as to what it was that had pulled her out of that vision, and honestly, that's what confuses her more than anything else. Nothing has ever been able to silence the voices like that before.

Natsuki flexes her hand experimentally, feeling the way the strange combination of hers and Hoshigaki's chakra charting its way through her pathways. Everything seems sharper ever since she’d awoken- lights, sounds, even smells- but she's also noticed it receding over the past couple of days. If this is what it's like to have a bare fraction of Hoshigaki's chakra, she can hardly imagine what it's like for a shinobi of his calibre.

She's also slept better in the past couple of days than she ever has before. No nightmares, no voices- nothing. Like somehow Hoshigaki's chakra is keeping them at bay.

And if _that_ isn't some soulmate bullshit at play, she'll eat her shoes.

A slight tug on her shirt draws Natsuki's attention back to the kid nestled in the curve of her arms, and she looks down to see wide, hesitant eyes looking back at her. She offers Juugo a smile in return, running a hand over his head gently in reassurance, and he seems to relax again as he rests his head against her shoulder. The kid has been awfully clingy ever since he'd woken up, and everyone's been careful not to overwhelm him ever since.

“Yeah, Juugo-kun? What is it?” The way he blinks up sleepily at her, obviously fighting against the pull of sleep is adorable, really- and Natsuki’s long since accepted just how utterly this kid has won her over. She absently tugs his sleeve a little higher on his shoulder as it starts to slip off- he's wearing one of her old shirts which she hasn't seen in a literal decade, and it's far too big for him- and is careful move as little as possible as she settles against the wall next to Juugo’s bed, forcing herself to stay relaxed even as she remains fully aware of the people keeping track of this seemingly harmless interaction.

The guest room of the Ōnami’s residence seems empty save for the two of them sitting atop the bed, but everyone else isn't too far off. Mitsuha and her parents are in the hall outside, and Hoshigaki… Well. He's perched on the windowsill right next to the bed, once again cloaked in his favourite genjutsu. The subtlety is appreciated for Juugo's sake, but it's doing wonders at making things just a touch awkward for her. Did he really have to take this bodyguard thing so seriously? What does he think Juugo's about to do, snap again and break her neck even with the seal on him?

Actually, maybe her parents hadn't really clarified that bit with him. They'll have to talk after this.

“Can you sing?” Juugo asks, the words nearly lost as he mumbles into her shirt. He doesn't have any scars from the ceremony, and not for the first time, Natsuki exhales slowly in relief as she looks at his unmarred skin. Her mom had healed him on the day of the ritual, but she's still recovering from the drain- and for all that Natsuki's less than pleased with her reaction to her soulmate, she still worries. Two Bites in one day is pushing it, even for a kunoichi of Kaoru's calibre, but at least there's been time to breathe these past few days.

"I don't have my guitar with me,” Natsuki points out, but the kid just shakes his head. So he doesn’t mind- and while she’s not too fond of hearing her own voice without any sort of accompaniment, Natsuki relents anyway. "What song do you want to hear?"

Juugo just shrugs- anything goes, then. Natsuki pauses to run through her mental library of songs both old and new, trying to think of something that could carry all the sweet hushing of a lullaby without being too obviously such. Juugo wouldn't appreciate her deliberately trying to put him to sleep like that- for all that he's shy, the kid's got that stubborn pride that all children have, and that includes a particular defiance for being told and forced to take an afternoon nap, no matter how tired they are.

It's a little draining sometimes, sure. But it’s the least she can do for him.

" _Short steps_ ," Natsuki begins quietly, deciding on a song from Before and closing her eyes as she recalls the once-familiar lyrics and tune. " _Deep breath- everything is alright…_ "

One hand rubs a slow, rhythmic circle against Juugo's back, while the other gently thumbs he back of his head. All the while, Natsuki sings of dreams and reassurances, trying her best to focus more on the kid clinging to her side and less on the silent shinobi by the window. She's never really liked singing for an audience, but at least Hoshigaki's not making any smart comments. Juugo drifts to sleep with little to no resistance as her song comes to an end, and with as much delicacy as she can manage, Natsuki carefully detaches him from her as she lays him down and tucks him back into bed. 

Content with another job well done on her babysitting abilities, Natsuki exits the room with Hoshigaki right behind her, and she shuts the door as silently as possible. By the time she does so, Hoshigaki is visible once again- though still wearing his disguise despite the being indoors.

“You know he isn't going to lose control again, right?" Natsuki asks, looking up at him with a sceptical look. 

"You can't be too sure about that. The last time you were alone with the kid, he concussed you.”

“Different circumstances entirely.” Natsuki points out, though she does add, “I appreciate it, though. Thanks.”

“It’s my job now. Did you forget?” Hoshigaki rebuffs, and Natsuki's certain by now that she's not imagining the underlying tension in that statement. He really has a problem with accepting gratitude in any form, but she's not about to point it out.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t be grateful.” She glances around for a bit- both out of awkward shyness and out of curiosity-  before finally putting her finger on just what’s been bothering her about this situation. With a tilt of her head, Natsuki questions, “Where’s your sword, by the way?”

Hoshigaki obviously notices the change of subject, but he doesn’t say much as he merely exhales shortly and gestures to one of the two scrolls strapped to his belt. They’re indistinguishable at a glance- the same thick paper and red trim along both scrolls- but he seems to know exactly what’s contained in each as he says, with no lack of humour, “It’d be a dead giveaway if I just carried it around in the open.”

“I didn’t know you could just seal it away like that.” A thought occurs to her just then, and Natsuki’s eyes widen as she blurts, “Isn’t that just a regular containment scroll, though? I thought your sword was alive?”

“Does it make a difference?” Hoshigaki inquires, and Natsuki tries not to gape at how casually he asks the question.

“Do you know what happens to living creatures when you seal them in a vacuum dimension? There’s no air, or anything that can sustain life in those." That’s why people could keep food in similar scrolls without worrying about spoilage- not even microorganisms could persist in that space. "Any living, breathing thing that gets sealed into that space _dies_.”

There’s a moment of silence as Hoshigaki processes the information, and Natsuki watches his face intently. Her soulmate appears momentarily lost as he tries to figure out a response, before he finally settles on,  “Are you worrying that I killed my sword?”

The way he asks makes it sound like he’s both a touch perplexed and also like he’s trying not to laugh. Natsuki just blinks confusedly, before she replies, “Well… maybe?”

Hoshigaki puts a hand on his face, no longer able to hide the wide grin and the silent laughter that shakes his shoulders. While she’s glad he has the decency to not guffaw aloud right outside the door and risk waking Juugo, Natsuki just folds her arms and stares at him, torn between peppering him with a million questions on his chosen weapon’s lifelike sentience versus trying to hold back a smile of her own. She realises just how silly her queries must seem, and can’t help the slight chortle that falls from her lips as she smothers against her palm- but the moment quickly fades as soon as she detects her mom’s presence heading towards them. Natsuki growns solemn and straightens up as Kaoru approaches, only barely noticing how Hoshigaki does the same as he glances over at the stairwell. Her mom’s lips are pinched together in poorly-concealed distaste as she notes the two of them standing together, but whatever scathing opinions she has are once again tucked away behind the blizzard in her mauve eyes.

“While I’m sure the two of you have matters to discuss,” she begins, her voice light yet doing a pitiful job at hiding her displeasure. “We need to talk to the both of you. It’s about how we’re going to proceed with things now that we have the details sorted out.”

Ah. Right. They’ve been waiting on that these past few days, trying to decide. on a cover story for 'Matsumoto'. They'd settled on him being a mercenary from the Northern islands of Water, near the border of Lightning where endless conflicts between Kiri and Kumo took place. Close enough to home for Hoshigaki that he could continue using his first name undisturbed, and tumultuous enough that no one would question his upbringing and lack of living family. Natsuki steals a glance at Hoshigaki's face, cloaked in the illusion of his new visage, and she notices how conspicuously tight-lipped he is about all this.

He's never been this silent in a discussion before. She's seen him act formally, sometimes a little teasing- but not _quiet_. 

“Of course, Kaa-san," Natsuki replies as she wrenches her gaze away from Hoshigaki- perhaps just a second too late, if the way her mom's eyes narrow just a fraction is any indication. She still hasn't brought up the whole… _saït_ thing, and Natsuki isn't about to say anything unless she asks, but the tension that's arisen between them ever since Hoshigaki's appearance has been thick enough to cut with a knife. Even as Kaoru nods and descends the stairs, a clear indication for them to follow her, the air is awkward where she's left it, curling into the once-nearly comfortable space between Hoshigaki and herself.

Natsuki glances back at him. He's watching her, waiting for an indication, but he breaks eye contact first and gestures in Kaoru's direction. She contemplates apologising for a moment- for her mom's blatant disregard for him, for getting him into this mess, for everything- but her tongue refuses to budge, and so Natsuki just allows herself to comply with the directive.

There are other, bigger things that need her attention more than even Hoshigaki does. Because as far as the rest of the world- and above all, _Waves-_ is concerned, today is the day that Natsuki Hagiwara is to meet her soulmate for the very first time.

* * *

 

“So. Mind telling me what was so important that you had to speak to me before opening hours?”

“You get to be the practice run, Akira-san. Sorry- everyone else is way too hard to speak to.”

“I… see. Thanks for the compliment?” As Akira finishes wiping down the countertop, his gaze trails over to the man standing next to her. There’s a suspicious gleam in his eye that Natsuki recognises instantly, despite how he hides it with his pleasant expression. “And who is this, exactly?”

“Kisame Matsumoto. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Hoshigaki takes the initiative to step forward at that, easily extending a hand towards Akira in greeting. The latter does the same in turn as he grasps Hoshigaki’s hand in his own, but Natsuki doesn’t miss the appraising once-over he gives her soulmate. Nothing like a few good manners and a firm handshake to get on Akira’s good side.

“Akira Furihata. Likewise.” As he pulls back, Akira leans his arms against the counter, drumming his fingers atop the wooden surface as he muses aloud. “’Kisame’, huh... that’s a typically Water name. We don’t often get a lot of visitors from there.”

“Special circumstances, you could say.” Hoshigaki replies evenly, though his voice carries a lilt of amusement. Natsuki tries not to pull a face- at least someone’s having more fun than she is on this little excursion.

“Oh? This wouldn’t have to do with those rumours of the Ōnami hiring a mercenary after her daughter’s kidnapping, would it?” Ash-grey eyes flit back towards Natsuki, the innocence in their depths almost painfully fake. Natsuki just pulls a face, heaving a sigh at the thought of how far the news has already spread in the short few hours that they’d played up “Matsumoto”’s arrival. 

"Does anyone on this island have anything better to do than talk about what goes on in my life?"

"Not really." Akira quips cheerily. “But what’s so hard about introducing your new bodyguard that you would come to use me for training?"

Natsuki exchanges a glance with Hoshigaki, who merely nods slightly in response to her silent query. She then tugs her bracelet off her wrist and turns her hand palm-up so that Akira has a clear view of her compass, the needle on its face lying in complete stillness as it points at the man next to her. The young restaurant owner just stares at her soul mark for a moment, speechless, before he raises his eyes to meet hers once again.

“Oh. Shit.” Akira runs his hands through his hair, his words spoken in a quiet breath. He quickly realises how condescending that could sound like, however, and immediately corrects himself by offering both her and Hoshigaki a confused, “I mean- congratulations, you two?”

Natsuki snorts, caught between exasperation and embarrassment. “He's my soulmate, not my fiancée. No need to be so formal about it.”  
  
“Did you know when you took up the job?” Akira directs the question at Hoshigaki, who, as usual, can’t keep a smile off his face when he replies. It’s strange not to see rows of pointed incisors whenever he grins while donning his transformation, but otherwise, the wry, almost coy quirk is just about identical.  
  
“The offer just happened to catch my eye when I was in the area. Thought I’d check it out.”  
  
“And lo and behold, huh? History really seems to repeat itself with your line, Natsuki-san.” Tatsumi murmurs, and Natsuki wants to burst into laughter. Gods forbid that her mom should hear _that_ comment- she can barely tolerate Hoshigaki as is, but to be compared to him? Natsuki almost lets a smile sneak past her facade of composure when Akira suddenly adds on quickly, “Well, whatever it is, I’m not going to be the one to tell Hatsume-chan for you.”

Her half-formed smirk completely falls off her face, and Natsuki groans in dismay. Stepping forward, she clutches her hands together in a pleading motion as she rests them atop the counter, staring at Akira with the most pathetic look she can muster- not that it does her any good. Not only is she terrible at it, Akira’s dead immune to such pleas after a lifetime of growing up with his sister- but that doesn’t stop her from trying anyway. “Come on, you know she's going to be ridiculously smug about it."

"That's exactly why I'm not going to ruin the experience for you,” is Akira’s calm reply as he starts looking through the register and pointedly ignoring her.

"Akira-san, please? You're supposed to be the nice one in this friend group."

"That's not true. That role has always been Yoshiko’s, and you know it."

"I heard my name! What are you two gossiping about?" As though right on cue, Yoshiko pushes open the door leading to the staircase and waltzes into the restaurant, only stopping when she sees an unfamiliar face in her usual territory. She’s about to open her mouth to ask who he is, but then she glances down at Natsuki’s exposed wrist, goes completely still, and then immediately looks back at her with a completely wicked expression. “I am _not_ telling Hatsu for you."

Natsuki groans again as she lets her head fall to the countertop with a hard thud, only just noting the tremble of mirth and slight discomfort from the nuke-nin next to her. This is going to be a long, long day.

* * *

 

Hatsume is smug. So very, very smug and pleased with herself that Natsuki could almost ignore the glimmer of suspicion that sometimes slips through her gaze. Still, she's nice enough to Hoshigaki as she welcomes him to Waves, and even passes on a subtle jab about Natsuki's tendency to attract trouble and how he's going to have his hands full. 

Tatsumi's reaction is less subtle. Quiet, but courteous- and so obviously doubtful of their story even when he doesn't say anything. He doesn't bring it up, but Natsuki sees it in the way he looks her way, hurt and indignation that she's spinning yet another lie that she just expects him to swallow.

(She doesn't, of course. But she can't tell him, because there's too much at stake and if anyone found out she can't risk anyone else-)

It all turns out to be more exhausting than she'd expected, and as she crawls back to her apartment after work- which had been somewhat awkward even as Hoshigaki made himself scarce in the hallways outside her office- Natsuki finds herself drawn immediately to her couch. Throwing herself over the overly-soft cushions, she sinks into the seat and shuts her eyes, intent on taking a cat nap before getting started on dinner. She's going to make the most of these dreamless nights while they last or _so help her-_ but just as she starts to drift off, she jolts awake. Then, she counts backwards in her head. And then she shoots out of the sofa and swears viciously.

It's been approximately three weeks since her kidnapping. She still hasn't spoken to Keiko or Meiko since then.

Realising just what a dreadful oversight she's made, Natsuki decides that delaying the power nap would be a necessary sacrifice to counter this grave error. The next few minutes are spent moving the furniture of her small living space around until there's enough unimpeded space for her to summon two gigantic cats, and once that's done, Natsuki places a sheet of paper in the middle of the floor. Unsealing a dagger from her storage bracelet, Natsuki then pricks her finger- careful to keep it as painless as possible- and allows a drop of blood to pool atop her fingertip before swiping it across the paper. 

The summoning circuit that sprawls out from beneath her hand is large enough to cover nearly the entire cleared space, and as Natsuki's chakra curls through the opening and snags the signatures on the other side, she feels them _push_. The ensuing cloud of chakra smoke is nearly blinding at the joint summoning, and Natsuki absently waves it out of her face as she gets to her feet. Maybe if she's lucky, the two of them have cooled off since the incident. 

" _You_!"

 _Aw, fuck_. Natsuki only has a split second to gather her chakra over her chest before Keiko viciously tackles her to the ground, the impact knocking the breath from her lungs even with the buffer. Natsuki's head bounces hard against the floor, reminding her far too much of her most recent injury, and for a moment she just lies there, stunned. In that same second, Keiko takes the opportunity to lean her large, furry snout close to her face, large canines bared and warm, damp breath fanning over Natsuki's face with each exhale. With even her sense of smell jacked up, Natsuki can't stop herself from grimacing- the scent of whatever meal Meiko had before appearing is… less than pleasant.

"I don't _believe_ you! The first real fight you've ever gotten into and you called _Kazu-jii_?!" The tigress' golden eyes glitter with righteous anger, and Natsuki smartly keeps her mouth shut and takes it when she starts her obviously long-awaited rant. "And then you don't even have the time to call on us and explain yourself? It's been months!"

"It's only been a couple of weeks." Natsuki protests weakly. 

"Hush, you." Meiko swats at her head lightly as she comes to sit near her head, much calmer than her sister but still obviously annoyed enough that she isn’t helping her up.

"What was all our training for, huh? We're the ones who have been your partners all this time. We would never have let you get hurt."

"I was tired, Kei- and I've only just recovered from a concussion."

"Excuses." Keiko hisses, but Natsuki doesn't miss the way she lightens the pressure on her chest ever so slightly. "You summoned Kazu-jii just fine."

"That was for flowers." Realising she really is just making excuses now, Natsuki eventually releases a resigned sigh. Her eyes drift towards both felines, and with as much sincerity she can muster, she says, "I'm sorry, Keiko, Meiko. I should have called you sooner. I just… got caught up with everything.."

The humble apology seems to appease Keiko, who sniffs haughtily as she pretends to deliberate on her words. “Yeah, well, you better not do it again.”

"We worry for you, Natsuki-sama. We are glad to see that you truly are well,” Meiko adds graciously, before she swats her head yet again. "However, you really are a terrible procrastinator."

"I had my reasons, I swear." She’s about to explain just what those reasons are, when she senses a fast-approaching signature in her mind’s eye. With a pained groan, Natsuki lets her head fall back onto the floor with a thud. "Ah, shit. You've done it now." 

"What is that?" Meiko inquires, both alert and intrigued all at once as the chakra presence draws her attention as well. Hoshigaki may hide his signature well, but nearly nothing can escape Meiko’s nose. 

"You're about to find out," Natsuki mutters, patting the leg Keiko’s planted on her chest with urgency. "Let me up, please. I don't want to have to replace a broken door."

The odd statement earns a curious look from the tigers, but Keiko willingly abides by the command. As soon as she removes her paw, Natsuki scrambles to her feet, uttering a string of mild curses under her breath as she quickly disengages the security seals. This isn’t the first time she’s had to do this since the sealing accident, and by now this lost all its initial novelty and has culminated into a profound annoyance. She’s touched by the concern, sure, but if she has to deal with someone showing up at her front door- or balcony- one more time just because she accidentally elbowed the edge of her table…

Almost as soon as she pushes the door open, the presence has made its way onto the balcony. Before he can even speak, Natsuki cuts in, focusing her gaze on where she assumes Hoshigaki’s face is beneath the genjutsu as she whispers, “I just bumped my head, everything’s fine.”

“There’s someone in there,” Hoshigaki replies stiffly, and Natsuki rubs a hand across her face. Ninja paranoia really is something else.

"Yeah, about that…” She can sense Keiko creeping up behind her, trying to peer around at the newcomer, but Natsuki just reaches behind and pushes her nosey face away with a tight smile. "Actually, why don't you come inside for a bit? There are some people I want you to meet."

Even without being able to see him, Natsuki can tell that the odd invitation makes Hoshigaki hesitate. Ultimately, however, he complies, stepping past the door and allowing her to shut it behind him before she readjusts the blinds. With that out of the way, he allows his concealment to fall, and that's when Natsuki realises just how he'd rushed to get here. The face she sees now is his, blue skin and gills and all- not the transformation he's donned all day.

Which, honestly, isn't a bad thing. She's found it hard to adjust to "Matsumoto's" appearance, and there's something about his natural look that just works for him.

As the two big cats come into sight, Natsuki can almost feel the bewilderment radiating off Hoshigaki as he stares at them- she would laugh if she wasn’t just as ruffled by this turn of events. The twins in turn are sitting primly before them- the sight would have been harmless enough, had they not completely blocked off both herself and Hoshigaki from going anywhere by taking up all the space. Still, Natsuki doesn't allow that to faze her, and she clears her throat as she prepares to introduce her soulmate to her summon creatures.

"Keiko. Meiko." As she speaks, she absently gestures towards her tigers respectively to distinguish who is who. "This is Kisame Hoshigaki."

"Your Resonant," Meiko murmurs, an intense focus in her mismatched eyes as she gazes at Hoshigaki.

"The Mistborn," Keiko adds in turn, staring at him with just as much intensity.  They both still haven’t spoken in the common tongue, and Natsuki has to wonder what game they’re playing at. Before she can ask, though, Hoshigaki turns to look at her, raising an eyebrow sceptically.

"You chose to call your summons in your apartment?"

She can understand his disbelief- her apartment isn't all that big as is, and with two giant cats cornering both Hoshigaki and herself, it’s starting to feel a bit suffocating. So she just shrugs by way of explanation.

“Sorry, Hoshigaki-san. You chose an interesting time to show up.”

“He smells nice.” Keiko chirps, prompting a nod from Meiko in turn.

“Crisp and clean- like the air on the ocean. He almost smells like you, Natsuki-sama.”

Oh, _now_ they knew how to speak Continental. Natsuki shoots the twins a look, but the big cats just tilt their heads innocently back. She pointedly ignores the heat she can feel crawling up across her cheekbones as she calmly explains to Hoshigaki, "Meiko and Keiko have been with me for years, now. You guys were bound to meet sooner or later."

"Is this where 'shōko' came from?"

The question is so unexpected that Natsuki is actually stunned. She can see both Meiko and Keiko exchanging awkward glances in her peripherals, but somehow manages to keep a straight face as she answers Hoshigaki's question.

"No. That came from my grandfather." Her hands find the edge of her couch, and she nervously runs her fingers along the back as she says, "He had an odd sense of humour. Kazuki-san spent a lot of time with him, so it caught on."

"Must have been quite the character if he spent time with that cat." Hoshigaki quips, but it’s not quite as sharp as she’d expected the remark to be. She can’t help the quirk of her lips in response to the jab, though- and as her tigers begin to circle him, her smile only widens as she notices the way he moves so that they’re no longer cornering him against a wall. A shinobi through and through. 

"I've never detected chakra this strong. Even K-" Meiko cuts herself off abruptly as she speaks, her eyes darting towards her for a moment before she corrects herself. "Few can compare."

Natsuki feels something twinge inside her chest as her smile falls away again- that hadn't been necessary. She's not so weak that she can't stand to even hear Kushina’s _name_. Before she can say so, however, Keiko chimes in with another comment that draws her immediate attention.

"If he's human, why does he look like that?

" _Keiko_!" The scandalised hiss actually makes said tigress jump, and as Natsuki fixes her with the sharpest glare she can muster, the feline has the decency to look at least a little abashed. To Natsuki’s surprise, however, Hoshigaki laughs abruptly, and his usual grin is settling back into place on his visage.

"Well, at least this one's honest," he remarks- and despite his seemingly casual demeanour, Natsuki knows she hadn't imagined that momentary waver in his chakra. "It's a clan trait. I'm just a special case."

"Are you a pureblood?" Meiko can’t stop herself from asking, and Natsuki has never wanted to facepalm harder. She couldn’t exactly blame summon creatures for not understanding human social cues, but _still_.

"If you could call it that." Hoshigaki just shrugs in response, and Keiko fixes him with a deadpan look.

"You know, you sometimes suck at answering questions."

"Alright, alright. Stop crowding around him, you two.” Natsuki quickly intervenes before either of them can ask any more awkward questions, and she physically steps between Hoshigaki and the two tigresses to make a point. Fixing them with a very deliberate look, Natsuki ignores the slight jump in Hoshigaki’s chakra at the close quarters as she insists, “You guys are already taking up too much space as is. Back up for a minute, okay?”

"But you were the one who called us here.” Keiko sniffs, staring at her with a pout- though she and her sister do ultimately comply.

"All of us." Meiko adds, though her expression is far less miserable and a touch more devious than her sister’s. Natsuki’s starting to think Kazuki had given her a much easier time than these two where her soulmate is concerned, and she’s way too tired to deal with this. 

“Yeah yeah. Well, party's over. Get going, you brats." With a sigh, she claps her hands as she issues the order- and the two felines waste no time in starting a whole new round of protests.

"But we only just got here!"

“It’s barely been a few minutes, surely...”

“A few minutes too many.” Natsuki mutters, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tries to fend off a headache. "Listen, I'm getting back to training this week, anyway. I'll call you guys then."

The promise of a second summoning has both of them perking up immediately, and if she wasn’t so exasperated, Natsuki would smile at how predictable her summons were.

"Can we use the beach?"

"Sure, that’s fine with me. Now get going already." Natsuki waves her hand, only half-faking her impatience as she shooed them off. The tow of them take a moment to bump their heads against Natsuki’s hips, however, and the redhead can’t help but roll her eyes at the obvious attempt to soften her up. She complies and scratches them behind their ears anyway, though.

"Take care of yourself, Natsuki-sama."

"Yeah, it'll be no fun if you're easy to beat."

"Thanks, you guys.” Natsuki mutters- and this time, there's less sarcasm in her tone than before. This seems to please the duo, and they exchange a look with one another before their eyes dart towards the person standing behind their master.

"Hoshigaki-san, it was a pleasure meeting you." Meiko bows her head formally- a gesture which Keiko unexpectedly mirrors, even though her cheeky look never quite disappears.

"Let's fight someday, too!” Are her parting words before both tigresses finally disappear in a cloud of smoke. With some proper breathing room at long last, Natsuki lets out a sigh, absently scratching the back of her neck as she steps away and casts Hoshigaki an apologetic glance. 

"Sorry about that. I wasn't expecting you to stop by."

"Evidently." His eyes dart quickly over her from head to toe, and his tense posture eases somewhat. "How'd you hurt yourself?"

"I may have owed them an explanation for a few weeks now. Keiko was very… obvious with her displeasure."

"Figured as much." Hoshigaki huffs, and Natsuki peers up at him, bearing a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"Are you really going to crash my apartment every time I do so much as bruise?" She asks, earning a look from Hoshigaki that only just stops short of a glower.

"It _is_ what I’m being paid for." He responds. Natsuki snorts- someone’s defensive over their overzealous dedication to their job.

"If that's how it's going to be, you may as well move in. You're going to be bouncing back and forth a lot with all the accidents I get into."

"I noticed. Do you make a habit of that?"

"I might start." It's only after the words leave her that Natsuki realises just how deliberate that suggestion could sound like, and she hastily clears her throat and averts her eyes as she says, "How… how have you been adjusting?"

"Well, being gawked at isn't anything new."

Natsuki winces. "I'm sorry."

"I didn't say that so you'd apologise." Hoshigaki replies so quickly that it's almost startling, and he seems to realise it as well. He shifts his stance, crossing his arms and continues just a bit more stiffly than before, "It's just a general observation. Anything associated with you seems to draw attention here."

"It's a wonder I still have a private life at all huh?" Natsuki smirks, though it lacks any real humour. She stretches her hands behind her back, a mild attempt at appearing casual as she leans against the wall and asks, "In any case, how are you liking this place so far? I hope it's not unbearable."

"The only unbearable thing is the humidity," Hoshigaki grouses, and Natsuki is so startled by the statement that she laughs in surprise. Instead she forces down the urge and deduces- yeah, given where Hoshigaki's from, it's to be expected that he doesn't quite agree with the weather. She's had years to adapt to Waves' typically Land of Fire climate, with its hot afternoons and fairly cool nights, but where Hoshigaki's from- well, it's probably not called 'Hidden in the Mist' for no good reason.

"Yeah, the dry season's just starting. It's not my favourite time of the year, either- but it provides a great excuse for a beach day."

Hoshigaki casts her an odd look at that, but she can't figure out why that is. The momentary fascination disappears rather quickly as he asks, "And what do you make of this whole situation? You're lying to your friends and your countrymen- and yet you seem perfectly at ease with that."

The statement earns him a long, blank stare from Natsuki. With absolute composure, she manages to say, "I'm not. I just have to accept that this is the only way to keep everyone safe." 

Another lie to plaster over everything else. So many webs to keep track of that she can almost feel them tangling into a mess that's just waiting to erupt- and with each line she unravels, more people get hurt. Still, she'd rather risk hurting then with a lie than to see anyone else die because of the truth.

"Some would say the harsh truth is better than the pretty lies."

"Those are the words of someone who doesn't know what the truth will cost." Natsuki snorts humourlessly. "We're a small island. Smaller than even Uzushio was, without any of the manpower or forces defending it. Imagine what the might of a Village could do to us." Her voice softens then, just a touch. "This country was built on the backs of people with nowhere to go after the war. I'm not going to make it so that they can just lose everything again- not when there are children now who have never known that pain."

"Sentiment can cloud your judgement."

"There are worse things to be blinded by." Natsuki replies- and even though she says it as though it's something to be proud of, she knows this is the vice that has and will continue to be her downfall. Always too goddamn soft, and look where it's gotten her.

"You wouldn't have lasted a day in Kiri," Hoshigaki mutters, and the comment is so unexpected that she looks up in surprise. His face doesn't give away anything, but the usual smile he sports is absent- and that alone proves he meant what he said. Natsuki can't even find it in herself to protest- she knows she would never survive in the world Hoshigaki, or any other shinobi grew up in. 

"I know," she replies, and when she doesn't speak up in her own defence, that odd look that Hoshigaki had shot her before crosses his face again. Confusion and frustration and something she can't read- but he remains silent as well. Seeing that this conversation has come to an end, Natsuki heaves an exaggerated sigh, breaking the tension by loosening her own posture and swinging her arms slightly as she asks, "You staying for dinner today? It's not going to be anything fancy, just so you know- I'm feeling lazy today."

"Then I'll handle it." 

That makes her freeze, and she stares blankly at Hoshigaki, uncomprehending. "What?"

The eloquent response actually makes Hoshigaki roll his eyes at her, and Natsuki is once again struck by how strangely his eyes reflect the light as he does so. It's odd- but in a funny way, almost hypnotising. "You've been at this for weeks. It's about time you took a break- especially if this is going to be a daily routine."

Natsuki blinks, still uncertain if she's hearing right. Slowly pointing at herself, she asks, "Are you offering to cook for…"

"Unless you want me to retract the offer?" Hoshigaki questions, just a touch too quickly. Natsuki quickly shakes her head, and she swears the swirling of his chakra eases somewhat as he walks past her and towards the kitchen. "Then I don't see a problem. You should rearrange your furniture in the meantime."

For a moment, Natsuki can only stare at Hoshigaki's back, stunned into utter silence. And then a slight smile creeps onto her lips, and she has to smother a slight laugh into her hand as she presses her knuckles to her lips. Never in her wildest fantasies could she ever have imagined that one day, she'd wind up having a missing-nin cooking dinner for her in her own kitchen. And her _soulmate_ , at that.

If someone had told her ten years ago this is where she'd be in life, she would have told them they were insane.

"Thank you, Hoshigaki-san," she murmurs- and even from behind the wall separating the kitchen and the hall, even as he makes no indication that he heard her, Natsuki knows that he did. 

Maybe this soulmate business isn't nearly as bad as she thought it would be. 

* * *

 

There’s the roar of the ocean in her ears. The searing heat of lightning and fire thrown across the battlefield. The sharp ring of metal upon metal, the screams of dying. There are children in the crossfire- she can hear their cries, forced to listen as not even they are spared mercy by the forces that have come to destroy them. For a long time, the vision keeps her in a cycle of conflict, battle after battle from which she emerges just a little bit more worn, but victorious. However, there is a limit even to victory- and after the endless, mindless bloodshed, Natsuki feels as though she awakens to a dream within her dream, only to find that the battles have quieted. 

The once-golden roads before her eyes are ruined, riddled with craters and blackened brick and sand that still smoulder in the aftermath of battle. Tiles of red, blue and white are shattered on the ground, and the residences have been looted or burned in the wake of the enemy onslaught. As Natsuki remains slumped behind a wall of a ruined building in the street, her right arm hangs limply by her side, broken and useless, and in her left hand she clutches a knife that feels far too familiar in her grasp. There’s blood blooming across her chest, and from the pain that accentuates every breath she takes, Natsuki knows whatever blow she’s received has struck a lung. There’s something terribly wrong about the ache in her chest, as though the very flesh beneath it throbs with unnatural agony, and Natsuki realises belatedly that she’s been poisoned.

There’s a flicker of movement to her left, in the alleyway. She grips her knife tighter for a moment, before she recognises the face of the two who are approaching her. The spiralling symbols of their hitai-ate signify them as allies- but Natsuki knows these two as more than just that.

“Mayura.” The redheaded man takes a knee by her side, and as he gazes at her wound, the grief in his eyes says it all. Natsuki knows she - _Mayura Amemori, that is her name_ \- isn’t making it out alive. The silver-haired girl next to him is just as battered as the man is, and she covers her mouth in shock as she crouches before her, her other hand reaching out uncertainly towards the injury.

“Okaa-san, y-you’re hurt.” The girl moves as though she’s about to roll up the long sleeve of her arm, but Mayura drops the knife she’s holding and latches onto her hand with surprising strength despite her weakening state.

“Don’t. It’s not worth it." The girl looks at her with stricken violet eyes and tear tracks staining her taupe skin, and Natsuki is idly startled as she realises who she’s gazing at. With a shuddering breath, she says, “Listen, Kaoru- you have to go. The worst of it has yet to come- but Onee-sama has devised an escape route. You can make it out yet.”  
  
“What? No- no, I’m not _running-_ ”  
  
“We have lost, little one.” Natsuki- _Mayura_ \- reaches out and touches her face, and Kaoru grasps it close with an almost desperate fervour as the tears begin to fall again. “There is no saving this land. You have to go- please, live. For me.”  
  
“No. We’ve already lost nii-chan- I’m not leaving you too.” Despite the sadness, there’s defiance in Kaoru’s eyes and firmness in her voice, and she knows she means what she says.   
  
“There is no time.” Mayura’s eyes turn towards the man next to Kaoru, and the feeling of _love sadness I wish we had more time_ swells in her chest as she pleads, “Hiro, please. You know this is the only way.”

The torment in his eyes only increases tenfold at the request, but Hiroki Uzumaki blinks back his tears as he reaches out to hold his wife’s face in his hands once more. He presses his forehead to hers, and as Mayura leans into the embrace, it takes all her strength not to cry.

“My star.” He whispers to her, his voice breaking on the endearment as he struggles to bid her farewell. “I will see you on the farthest shore.”  
  
“I love you.” Mayura whispers back, so fiercely and with such assurance that there will never be room for doubt. She wishes this moment could last forever, but as the telltale signature of approaching enemies tingle in the periphery of her senses, she knows their time is up. With the last of her strength, she presses the knife in her hands into his- _he will know what to do with this, it must never fall into the wrong hands-_ and he takes it from her without hesitation. As Hiroki reluctantly pulls himself away, Mayura casts one last glance at her daughter- _her beautiful, strong daughter, how she wishes she could be here to see her grow_ \- and says, “I will always be proud of you. But you must go. Go, _now_.”

“I said I won’t leave you.” Despite her protest, Hiroki merely grabs his daughter firmly and body flickers away without the slightest hesitation. As relief finally sinks into her weary bones at knowing what remains of her family may yet survive this madness, Mayura can only close her eyes and finally give in to her injuries, the last thing she hears being the desperate screams of her only surviving child. 

“No, please, no! Okaa-san! _Okaa-san!_ ”

With her mom's desperate cry ringing in her ears, Natsuki awakens to a dark, empty room that feels far too cold. She doesn't even have the strength to push herself into a sitting position, sweat pooling at her back and a sickening nausea weighing at the base of her stomach as she leans over the edge of the bed and tries not to throw up. She's shivering like nobody's business, and even she wraps her arms around herself, she can't stop trembling. She can still feel the poison in her veins, the blood in her lungs and the terrible feeling of death claiming her once again, and she has to right to remind herself that it was just a dream.

"Damn it." Natsuki hisses, her teeth chattering so hard she nearly bites her tongue. " _Damn it_."

Looks like her peaceful nights of sleep are over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: maybe try to write a filler chapter of normal length this time before the next arc  
> My one brain cell: okay so here's 20 pages of dialogue and multiple scenarios that you could insert into separate chapters but instead combine them into one! Now suffer. forever.
> 
> Anyway because of suigetsu being a literal baby i imagine that kisame "officially" defected w the daimyo killings years after meeting tobi and spent a good few years still playing it cool in Kiri. That's the only logical reasoning I can come to with him knowing what the kid was like so this is yet another canon deviation in the fic premise (and it's not just because i want to hc that kisame was the best swordsman babysitter in canon do not @ me on this)


End file.
